Growing up in Australia, school kids had the fun opportunity to get out in the great outdoors to participate in their school athletics carnival. A yearly fixture on the events calendar, students pulled on the sports uniform, a pair of runners, and hit the track to compete against their peers and win coveted ribbons.

Thanks to the Western Bulldogs and its Settlement Grants Program, 40 excited refugee and migrant students also recently got the chance to experience this Aussie tradition when the Club teamed up with the Western English Language School (WELS) Werribee outpost and SportWest VCAL.

Primary school students aged six to 12, from far off places including Sudan, Ethiopia and China, competed in a variety of events from high jump through to hurdles under the guidance of Western Athletics Club coach and former international decathlete, Errol Hart. SportWest VCAL students also helped out with coaching and mentoring as part of their community coaching unit. 

While they may not have participated in an athletics carnival before, the students displayed incredible skills at the event held at Victoria University’s athletics track in Werribee. As a result, the talented youngsters have been invited to train with squads at the Western Athletics Club!

The carnival was the showpiece in a four-week program, which Coach Hart - a volunteer -described as “a great way to introduce children from culturally diverse backgrounds to Australian culture and way of life”.

Throughout the year, the Western Bulldogs deliver a variety of sporting program through its Settlement Grants Program funded by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. English language students at WELS, AMES, VU and community centres across Melbourne’s Western region benefit from the programs, which include football, swimming, tennis and cricket.

The aim is to engage newly arrived children, youth and adults in sport and physical activities that enable them to learn more about Australian culture, while promoting healthy living and developing English skills through sporting opportunities.