In celebration of Cultural Diversity Week, The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation CALDplay sports program will launch their 10th Annual CALDplay Football Gala on 23 March 2017.

The Gala will involve a series of Australian Rules football games and activities, joining together CALDplay participants from multiple AMEP service providers (Adult Migrant English Program) and Community Centres across the west.

Entering its 10th year, the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation CALDplay sports program allows newly arrived migrants and refugees to develop sporting and inter-cultural skills over a six-week period.

This term’s program allowed participants to understand and participate in Australian rules football, while improving their communication skills with other students from linguistic and culturally diverse backgrounds and their overall understanding of the Australian culture.

Since 2007, through the Ready SETTLE Go program, the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation has supported the settlement of 18,000 newly arrived migrants and encouraged them to engage in their community.

Western Bulldogs Community Foundation Empowerment Manager, Michelle Hage said the Foundation was looking forward to celebrating the success of the program in the annual gala.

“We are extremely proud of our CALDplay sports program and the success it has seen over the past ten years,” Hage said.

“Together we have been able to engage newly arrived migrants in their community, while teaching them Australian Rules football skills as a mean of support into healthy living.

"In celebration of Cultural Diversity Week we aim to showcase through our 10th annual Footy CALDplay Gala the amazing work our community is doing to support new Australians in being a part of our cohesive multicultural Australian community."

The Gala will take place at Skinner Reserve Braybrook Park, Churchill Ave, Braybrook at 11:30am, concluding at 1:30pm.