The Morrison Government will invest more than $2 million in programs to encourage participation in sport and deliver leadership activities for girls in the Pilbara region.
Under our Government’s Indigenous Australians’ Health Program (IAHP) we will provide more than $2 million over three years to 2021-22 to the Global Roaming Pilbara Foundation, to implement its programs in cooperation with the West Pilbara Interagency Working Group.
This funding will support the foundation to deliver the Pathways to Excellence Basketball Program and the Girls FX and Leadership Program, which already have a strong record of supporting local young people.
Playing basketball is a great way to improve health outcomes. In addition to playing sport this program will gather young people together to learn about the importance of diet, teamwork, healthy relationships, mental health and the importance of education.
Pathways to Excellence also provides a “safe space” for young people during vulnerable times at night and includes valuable mentoring and pathways to sporting careers.
The Leadership Program focuses on healthy lifestyles, domestic and family abuse, drug and alcohol misuse, building self-esteem and resilience and better mental health.
This includes self-respect through modelling, grooming and deportment, performing arts, business and leadership and securing career and employment opportunities.
It is specific for girls aged 10-25 and is delivered after school and on weekends and during school holidays
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians currently have about a 10-year lower life expectancy and 2.3 times the burden of disease compared with the broader the population.
The key to Closing the Gap in health outcomes is about providing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with equal access to effective, high quality, comprehensive and culturally appropriate health and welfare programs no matter where they live in Australia.
The Morrison Government has a long-standing and important commitment to achieving health equity between First Australians and the wider Australian population.
Our Government announced an investment of $3.9 billion in Indigenous-specific health initiatives in the 2018–19 Budget.
