A Perth-based organisation is aiming to help change the lives of young girls through participation in cricket. The program is targeting schools with higher rates of disadvantage, to form teams, footing the bill for uniforms, registration fees and transport.
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00:00For the Year 7s of Gilmore College in Kwinana, cricket is already a big hit.
00:10While the team might be working on their spin, they're already seeing great results.
00:15I find that, unlike a crab, I'm mainly in my cell, but cricket is helping me come out
00:21of my cell pretty much.
00:23The outreach program Team Connect has been spreading the love of cricket to schools in
00:27disadvantaged areas since 2018.
00:33Young girls are nominated by teachers to participate, training once a week and playing games against
00:39other local teams.
00:40We find that in those areas, as we all know, there are a lot of families that don't have
00:44access to all of the opportunities in the community that might be available to kids
00:48in other communities.
00:51The program is volunteer run, relying solely on grants and donations, but organisers want
00:56to expand.
00:57For the teachers involved, it's also providing a gateway for more trust.
01:03At the moment it's just what's happening with cricket or whatever, but I'm hoping that that
01:09will then come to be, this is what's happening, can you help me?
01:14Each player receives some new kit, with transport to and from games also included, helping with
01:20the barriers for some in accessing team sport.
01:23The program uses cricket because it's a uniquely social sport, everybody bowls, bats and fields,
01:29but it's found the time spent waiting on the sidelines is the most valuable.
01:33We all know that kids thrive when they feel like they belong.
01:38We see kids' school attendance improve because they've actually developed really good friendships
01:41and they've developed a really positive connection, not only to school, but to the local community.
01:46I think it was more the community, obviously, also the game, because I met a lot of the
01:51other teams, girls, and now we're pretty good friends out of school.
01:58On target for a brighter future.