AFL Cape York Kids Living Safer Lives
AFL Cape York is proud to acknowledge the support of our sponsors and supporters.
Kids Living Safer Lives in Cape York encapsulates a range of programs aimed at protecting and keeping children safe. This Project aims to leverage existing resources by linking with and expanding on current successful activities.
For more information watch this presentation. Kids Living Safer Lives [PowerPoint pps 481Kb]
Kids Living Safer Lives Wins State Government Award
AFL Cape York is proud to announce than the Kids Living Safer Lives program, a partnership between AFL Cape York, Indigenous Coordination Centre Cairns, Queensland Police Service and Cape Crime Stoppers, has won the 2009 Department of Communities Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Award - Indigenous.
The award was presented at a function at Parliament House in Brisbane on Wednesday 29 April 2009. Present to accept the award were Michelle Torrens and Maria McDonald from ICC Cairns, project coordinator for Violence No Way Sgt Larrisa Flood from QPS and Kids Living Safer Lives Program Manager Dale Treanor from AFL Cape York.
Kids Living Safer Lives is an initiative of the Australia Government directed towards the reduction of fear and viloence for kids in indigenous communities through a range of coodinated initiatives and programs conducted through a unique partnership between the Indigenous Coordination Centre representing the Australian Government, Queensland Police Service representing the Queensland State Government plus two non government organisations, Crime Stoppers and AFL Cape York Ltd.
The project officially commenced on 1 July 2008, targeting the communities of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Mossman Gorge and Pormpuraaw. Key features of the project include the placement of suitable project officers in each community and the coordinated management of the delivery of the supported programs, which include the award-winning Police programs, Be Strong Be Heard, Violence No Way, Safe Hands and Crime Stoppers.
Well Done to all partners, coordinators and communities that have embraced the program.
Community on Watch in fight against crime
The Far North's cops have two new weapons in their crime prevention arsenal. Cairns police officially launched the Woree Neighbourhood Watch at Woree State High School last night.
Cairns District crime prevention officer Sen-Constable Heidi Marek said Neighbourhood Watch was about working together as a community to promote safety, security and quality of life for all residents.
Neighbourhood Watch seeks to reduce the number of offences by improving personal safety and household or building security, reporting suspicious activity within neighbourhoods and ensuring property is marked for identification.
The Woree group joins other committees from across Cairns, including Trinity Park, Freshwater, Edge Hill, Whitfield, Trinity Beach, Mooroobool and Forest Gardens. Also yesterday, the Cairns Indigenous Coordination Centre launched its Kids Living Safer Lives initiative at Westcourt in a bid to improve relations between children and police.
Former Cairns detective John Harris, who is also the chairman of Crime Stoppers, said the program is about reporting crime, violence and abuse against children and families,
He said it also was about building positive role models in indigenous communities. The Kids Living Safer Lives program will be delivered as a priority into welfare reform communities at Hope Vale, Aurukun, Coen and Mossman Gorge and also extending to Lockhart River, Pormpuraaw and Kowanyama.
Mr Harris said intervention and prevention strategies for the program included Be Strong Be Heard, Crime Stoppers, Safe Hands and AFL Cape York.
Be Strong Be Heard will be delivered in communities through workshops that aims to provide knowledge of law and skills for people to report and progress complaints of child abuse and neglect.
School Holiday Program 30/06 - 06/07/09
Tuesday 30th June - Pormpuraaw
Great start to the June/July "Kids Living Sfer Lives" School Holiday Program in Pormpuraaw with children running down to the Pormpuraaw State School to greet us. These school holiday programs we were accompanied by the well known Blackrobats company. Blackrobats have been around for many years encouraging youth to strive towards their goal and have fun along the way through acrobatic activities.
The children in Pormpurraw flipped, rolled, somersaulted on the air gym without having to be taught a natural talent. The morning kicked off with acrobatic and gymnastic activities and AFL kicking competitions. In the afternoon a big AFL game was played with boys and girls participating and having the best time getting their hands on that footy. Even AFL staff got involved and played alongside the talented Pormpuraaw children. As the sun fell and the temperautre became cooler the AFL game finished with a bbq prepared by Sokar. Fresh salad and meat meal and were straight back out on the oval ready to play another game. As night fell the AFL troopy lights were put on to give some extra lights. Fantastic day and well done to all the participants.
Wednesday 1st July - Pormpurraw
Another day in Pormpuraaw and the activities kicked off at 10.00am with youth already waiting for us down at the school. The day started with Blackrobats conducting some circus activities in the under covered area of the school. Juggling is a hard skill to do specially when there are three objects to juggle, but the children had a go and did it well. Hooler hoops were found challenging and development officer Marc Harbrow found it very hard, he strugged. Blackrobats Kelly Craig picks up five hoops and hoolers them around her body like to was nothing, yes that's skill indeed. Young 8 year old girl was a professional at the hooler hooping, she showed us all how to do it.
Saturday 4th July - Napranum
In Napranum the holiday program was held at the PCYC centre which is an amazing facility and ran by great staff. AFL Cape York school holiday program has been running now for three years and the Napranum PCYC centre has supported and assisted with this program each time, from healthy lunches to promoting the program to the children of Napranum. Tamillety who is the Sport and Recreation Officer of the centre did fantasic job in organising the day. Considering there was a rugby league tournament on in Weipa we ended up with plenty of children participating in every activity. Children from Old Mapoon also attended which was fantastic to see as Old Mapoon is at least a 40-50 min drive a way. Successful day to end the program a big touch game was played for both boys and girls.
Monday 6th July - Aurukun
Arriving into Aurukun we had children waving and running down towards the sports facility. Met by new Sports & Rec officer Amanda Law and Youth Engagement Officer Craig Swaine who has done amazing work in tidying the sports facilities. Great to see the pool up and running which has a great big tunnel slide, the Aurukun children must have the best time. Within minutes we had 30 plus children inside the hall flipping and showing off the raw talent with backflips and sommersaults going so high they nearly hit the roof. Blackrobats didn't have much to teach this day if anything Blackrobats may have learnt a few things off the children. Even some older lads between ages 18-25 came down and participated in a touch game held inside the hall which was great to see. AFL staff were exhaused towars the end of the program and yet we still had to jump in our cars and drive back to Cairns. Massive day in Aurukun and a success wonderful children.