Uniting diverse communities through sport
A sports club at heart, Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) believes in the meaningful impact of sport – not just on individuals – but as a community.
Today marks the official start of a new partnership that embodies this belief and aligns strongly with the club’s commitment to making sport accessible to all.
The MCC Foundation and the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (WBCF) have partnered to help provide multicultural and migrant communities with more opportunities to connect through sport and experience all that MCG has to offer.
The MCC Foundation, the club’s philanthropic arm that administers the MCG, has been announced as the presenting partner of the WBCF’s CALDplay program; a free program that provides more than a thousand culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) adults and children newly arrived in Australia each year with the opportunity to play sports to improve their English, develop skills and increase social participation increase.
The CALDplay program works with English language schools in the western suburbs and aims to break down the economic, cultural and language barriers that many newcomers face.
Through the partnership with the MCC Foundation, attendees now have the opportunity to visit the ‘People’s Ground’ – taking students out of the classroom and into the ‘G’ to further encourage physical activity, build greater social skills and build connections to the Community to deepen the power of sports.
The partnership kicked off with an ‘Explore the MCG Day’ where 200 adult migrants and refugees visited the Australian Sports Museum and learned more about the stadium on an MCG tour.
MCC Foundation Chair Sally Macindoe said they are delighted to support the WBCF CALDplay program.
“The partnership with the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation is very exciting and aligns fundamentally with the MCC Foundation’s commitment to making sport more accessible for all people regardless of cultural, economic or geographic barriers,” she said.
“The CALDplay program not only underscores the sense of belonging and inclusion that sport can foster, it is also an important recognition of the vibrant, multicultural communities of the western suburbs.
“The MCG is Melbourne’s great link and a beacon of unity around the world, so we hope CALDplay attendees will always feel welcome and part of this special place.
“Together with the WBCF, the MCC Foundation is thrilled to make a contribution to helping these students build skills, form connections and realize their full potential through the enjoyment of sport.”
Western Bulldogs General Manager of Community and Government Relations Kashif Bouns hailed the partnership as an exciting opportunity for the community.
“We are extremely proud to partner with the MCC Foundation, with a shared commitment to create greater opportunity through the unifying nature of sport, with the unique opportunity to do so in such an iconic place as the MCG – the home of sport in Australia – to do. ” he said.
“The partnership will allow us to continue to make this program available to hundreds of newly arrived adults and children free of charge, giving them the opportunity not only to learn about sports but also to be more involved in their community.”
The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation is the non-profit association of the football club. The Foundation delivers proven impact in the areas of health and wellbeing, youth leadership, cultural diversity, social inclusion and community advocacy through targeted community programs and events in western Melbourne and Victoria.
The MCC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Melbourne Cricket Club, the manager of the MCG, whose aim is to preserve Australia’s sporting history and improve access to sport for all Australians.