Football Victoria’s (FV) Multicultural Settlement Program (MSP) has engaged with more than 1000 participants this year, helping newly arrived migrants to settle in Victoria through the power of football.
MSP is an introductory program that offers football for newly arrived migrant kids (girls and boys aged 4-11), aiming to enhance social inclusion and connection.
FV Program Manager Abraham Abraham said he was extremely pleased with the results his team was able to accomplish this season.
“We have done so much in such a small space of time, and we will continue to grow and build on strong partnerships with local government, clubs, and schools,” he said.
“We worked with the newly arrived Afghan community in Dandenong all way to the Wodonga’s newly arrived Congolese community. Providing football for kids and families to be able to engage with the wider Australian community.”
The weekly MSP sessions Weekly skills through progressive drills and games and focus on fundamental movement skills. The program is delivered in an engaging and inclusive environment and is the perfect outlet to make new friends and develop fundamental social skills.
FV was able to engage with over 1000 participants in the last 10 months, smashing Football Australia’s target of 740, and was able to set up 17 MSP hubs across Victoria from Shepparton to Geelong to Dandenong.
“This season we were able to introduce an all-time high number of participants to the structured football environment in Australia, providing meaningful community integration opportunities,” Abraham said.
“We were able to transition 105 kids into club football through financial and other support such as communicating with clubs on their behalf to provide an opportunity for participants to play and travel across Victoria and see other communities.”
The expanding registrations have created casual employment opportunities for 34 young people to work in the Miniroo’s settlement space.
“FA set us the target to employ 30 facilitators this year and we comfortably reached it and provide opportunities to people with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds which have helped them integrate into their community,” Abraham explained.
“An example of this is Abdul, who completed his engineering degree had found that football was his passion.
“Through his work in the Miniroo’s settlement space, he was provided with a full-time opportunity to work in Wyndham council with the newly arrived Afghan community due to Abdul showcasing his skills at the MSP programs.”