Netball Australia is pleased to announce the extension of its partnership with GHD and the Australian Government to deliver Phase 2 of the Team Up program for another two and half years.
The Team Up program is an Australian Government initiative with a focus on sport for development. It is designed to support partnerships across the Pacific that use sport to bring people together, champion inclusion and create opportunity.
Netball Australia continues its long-standing relationship with Samoa, Tonga and Papua New Guinea (PNG) netball federations to deliver participation programs.
In Tonga and Samoa, the Team Up program aims to support the empowerment and development of women, girls and marginalised groups to become leaders both on and off the court.
In PNG, and with the expertise of WaterAid, the program focus is on upskilling community coaches on inclusion practices, growing coach confidence and instilling safer hygiene practices including menstrual hygiene.
These programs share the objective of attracting and retaining participants in netball, by ensuring the Pacific netball federations are safe, inclusive and accessible. They also act as an opportunity for closer collaboration between partners so they can deliver outcomes that carry impact.
Netball Australia’s Executive General Manager of Strategic Projects, Government and Community Glenn Turnor stated the importance of the organisation’s commitment to its work in the Pacific.
“This partnership extension is significant as Team Up is a crucial driving factor behind the Australian Government’s Sports Development Strategy,” Turnor said.
“We know netball has a positive impact on a person’s life and by working with each of our Pacific Netball Federations we have designed programs to meet the needs of each Pacific country.”
Lynette Maha, the Executive Officer of Netball PNG, said her team was excited to further engage their work with WaterAid in their execution of One Netball PNG.
“We want to build upon the good work started in Phase 1 and continue to deliver netball to new regions within PNG,” she said.
Maha was also quick to highlight the many benefits of the program.
“Our young people are not only being exposed to the benefits of netball, but they are learning about water sanitisation and positive hygiene practices.”
