A program which uses football (soccer) to support health and education outcomes for Indigenous children has been named Overall Winner and Inclusion Program/Initiative of the Year at Thursday's Australian, Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Awards.
John Moriarty Football (JMF), established in 2012 by not-for-profit organisation, Moriarty Foundation, is delivered in 17 remote and regional communities to more than 5,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, aged 6 to 18 years old, each year.
The program harnesses the power of football to positively engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and youth aged 2 to 18 years of age, with groundbreaking impacts on health, education, wellbeing and connection to Country.
Moriarty Foundation Co-Founders, Yanyuwa man John Moriarty AM and Ros Moriarty said they were honoured after JMF was recognised for its Aboriginal-designed and led innovation.
"When we started JMF in 2012, we wanted to use football to engage Indigenous boys and girls in a way that would positively impact their health, education, wellbeing and connection to Country," Mr Moriarty said.
JMF's inaugural scholarship holder, Shadeene Evans went from playing barefoot on Borroloola's school oval, in the remote Northern Territory to graduating from one of Australia's top sporting high schools.
Nowdays, she plays for the premiership winning Central Coast Mariners in the A-League.
"But as well as the sporting stars, our success stories lie in the increased school attendance, improved classroom participation, better health and wellbeing outcomes and inspiring the love of sport for children," Mr Moriarty said.
JMF is delivered 5-6 days per week through in-school and after school sessions, school holiday clinics and tournaments.
Moriarty Foundation Ambassador, former A-League footballer and Kanolu/Gangulu woman, Allira Toby, said the award is an acknowledgement of JMF's community-led, holistic and culturally relevant approach.
"The innovation of JMF is that it is guided by Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) made up of community members, elders and Traditional Custodians, that ensures it is tailored to local needs and culturally safe and responsive," she said.
The Australian, Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Awards recognise individuals, government, not-for-profits, the commercial sector, play sector, recreation and sports for their innovations to get more people active in the community.
