AFL Queensland CEO, Mr. Dean Warren, today welcomed Federal Government funding to support the building of AFL Cape York House for Girls.
AFL Cape York House is a residential facility in Cairns for young Indigenous men from remote Indigenous communities across Cape York and the Torres Strait. The House provides them with a culturally appropriate and secure place to live whilst they attend local partner schools during the day.
The new funding from the Federal Government will allow AFL Cape York House to build a new facility that replicates services and programs for young women.
“The AFL thanks the Federal Government for this show of faith in the capacity of Cape York House to deliver quality services to indigenous communities in the Cape and Torres Strait,” Mr. Warren said.
AFL Cape York House is achieving remarkable outcomes and boasts a 97 per cent retention rate. All boys have graduated from year 12 with a Queensland Certificate of Education, with 50 per cent studying at university and the remainder employed full time.
“AFL Cape York House has shown that its program is effective for young Indigenous men and to extend this to young women is extremely important,” Mr. Warren said.
“The AFL is proud of the role that we can play in connecting young people to education and future opportunities through sport, and AFL Cape York House is a very important part of our commitment to community building,” he said.
Mr. Warren also acknowledged the support of Cairns Regional Council, who will review the plan next week as part of the final draft of the Redlynch Sport and Recreation Parklands Masterplan.
“We are delighted that through the support of all levels of government we can provide young men and women with the same level of opportunity,” he said.
“The House is a tangible and outcomes focused commitment to the Federal and Queensland Governments’ Closing the Gap Strategy for Indigenous education and health.”
Photo courtesy the Cairns Post: AFL Cape York Program Manager Rick Hanlon, Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch and Minister for indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, look at the plans for the new AFL Cape York House for Girls. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS
