Case studies
Notre Dame University Associate Professor Ben Piggot shares his experiences evaluating the Rising Leaders Program.
Notre Dame University Associate Professor Ben Piggot shares his experiences evaluating the Rising Leaders Program.
The SMF run a range of carnivals that provide young people with an opportunity to play with and against other youth from outside their local community in a fun and safe environment.
The carnivals are incentive based and require youth to meet participation, education and behavioural goals that have been developed in partnership with local schools, local government agencies and local community members.
The SMF carnivals also provide a significant opportunity for the involvement of local community members not only as spectators but in a variety of support roles including umpiring, coaching, team management, catering and first aid.
The SMF support the engagement of local community members through upskilling in umpiring, coaching and administration while also providing opportunities for casual employment.
Due to the variety of carnivals, operational costs are determined once the location, target communities and number of participants have been determined.
The SMF Regional Talent Academies have been developed to upskill, identify and link male and female players aged 13-18 to the South Fremantle talent pathway.
The SMF has a Regional Talent Academy targeting youth residing in the Gascoyne region (training hubs based in Carnarvon and Exmouth) and the Upper Great Southern region (training hub based in Narrogin).
The SMF also support the development of local community members as coaches and umpires.
The Stephen Michael Foundation have partnered with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to deliver a number of recreation, mentoring, and leadership programs in Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Unit 18 located at Casuarina prison. Whilst we have been running the Banksia Roos Program for almost three years, in 2024 we will deliver additional programs, which aim to support the mental and physical health of the young people inside the facilities.
In 2024, our partnership with DOJ includes the following programs:
1. Banksia Roos Program: this program is a recreation, mentoring, and coaching program for young males inside Banksia Hill engaging in an AFL program. The program focuses on encouraging self-improvement and leadership through playing AFL. To date, the Banksia Roos have played matches against schools such as Hale and Darling Range as well as the South Fremantle Regional Talent squad.
2. Banksia Girls Program: this program focuses on engaging young females in Banksia Hill in a variety of recreation-based and mentoring activities.
3. Unit 18 Rec Program: this program is new in 2024 and involves engaging young males from unit 18 in multisport and cross training activities whilst providing mentoring and development opportunities along the way.
4. Rising Leaders Program: during the January and July school holidays, the SMF will deliver modules of our Rising Leaders program inside Banksia Hill. The focus will be on building skills such as communication, teamwork, resilience and improving coping strategies during times of stress.
The importance of learning about food and nutrition in the classroom is essential as it not only fuels the mind but lays the foundation for optimal learning capacity, cognitive development and the students overall wellbeing. By the student having an education about food and nutrition, portion control and the importance of healthy food choices, it will stem into lifelong healthy eating habits. The Stephen Michael Foundation aims to support schools with nutrition education in the classroom as we believe it is a vital initiative that will be beneficial to not only the student, but the community as a whole.
The Stephen Michael Foundation’s (SMF) Aboriginal Young Women’s Engagement Program (the Program) is an innovative and culturally secure program of individualised support services and group activities aimed at strengthening the wellbeing, engagement and educational outcomes of Aboriginal girls and young women in WA schools.
Key activities include:
The Program activities will primarily be flexibly provided between Monday – Friday during each of the four school terms, before
and after school, and during the school day – depending on the individualised needs and local services and school requirements.
The Stephen Michael Foundation All Abilities program empowers youth living with a disability to recognise and reach their true potential. The program aims to increase self-confidence, personal development, and connection to their local community.
Intended program outcomes include:
The SMF Cultural Connection program aligns directly with the WA Department of Educations’ Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework and has been developed to support school’s capacity to foster positive communication and interaction between staff, students and the local Aboriginal community.
The Cultural Connection program features 6 x two-hour sessions and provides students with a unique opportunity to enhance their awareness and understanding of Aboriginal culture and history.
Teachers and staff will also required to attend a cultural awareness session to support the implementation of key learnings from the program into the entire school. The program also provides school with linkages to local Aboriginal service providers and local elders.
As part of the Cultural Connections Program, we work closely with SEDA College’s Baldja Mob, providing mentoring and support, promoting cultural, educational and career development activities.
The “Culture Through Sport” program provides schools with an opportunity to learn, appreciate and experience aspects of Aboriginal culture by engaging in traditional Aboriginal games.
The Culture Through Sport program has been development to support schools implantation of the Cultural Standards Framework.
The SMF Coaching program provides participants with a basic understanding of AFL coaching and the key traits of what makes a Good coach. The program focus’s specifically on helping coaches:
The SMF Coach Development program is endorsed and supported by the West Australian Football Commission
The Stephen Michael Foundation umpire development program teaches the theoretical and practical skills required to become an AFL umpire including:
Following the delivery of the Umpire Development Program, the SMF support participants wishing to transition into their existing local umpiring pathway.
The SMF Umpire Development program has been endorsed by the AFL and West Australian Football Commission to deliver umpire accreditation.
The main premise of the regional Academies is to help upskill local players and then identify any that may be able to play for the South Fremantle Youth Development Squads and Colt’s programs. The South Fremantle Football Club have an established Talent Development squad in the Upper Great Southern however the SMF last year introduced the very first Gascoyne Talent squad comprising of the best 30 male players in the region.
The UGS squad were last year coached by Liam Anthony the SMF program Manager with local coaches coaching the Gascoyne squad.
For further information on the Stephen Michael Foundation Academies please contact Liam Anthony on 0408 929 960 or liam@smfoundation.org.au
Despite the growing popularity and interest in female football, there are still many areas across Western Australia where girls aged 13-17 do not have the opportunity to play AFL in the community.
Across the past 18 months the Stephen Michael Foundation has developed a number of pilot events, carnivals and competitions focused on youth girls in targeted regional areas including the Upper Great Southern (Narrogin, Katanning, Wagin, Kojonup and Boddington), Gascoyne (Carnarvon and Exmouth) and the Murchison (Meekatharra, Mt Magnet, Wiluna and Cue).
Following these pilot events training hubs have been set up in the Upper Great Southern and Gascoyne region to develop the most talented local female Footballers. The academies train once a week to enhance their talent and ease the transition down to play with South Fremantle Women’s Talent Squads. The academies are coached by local coaches who are continually being upskilled and developed by our coach coordinator Tony Micale.
The Stephen Michael Foundation has developed the “Culture Through Sport” program which provides school students with an opportunity to learn, appreciate and experience aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures by engaging in traditional Aboriginal games.
The Culture Through Sport program features a range of activities including:
The Nightfields program is a multi-sport-based activity delivered to at-risk, socially disadvantaged and disengaged youth (aged 6-18) in after school hours with the aim of encouraging positive community engagement and participation, developing healthier individuals and reducing anti-social behaviour.
The program is run in consultation with WA police, various Local Governments and Shires as well as a broad range of local service providers who assist in program planning, promotions and engaging with participants. At each Nightfields session, participants receive free food following their involvement in all sporting activities.
Night Hoops is a Stephen Michael Foundation program utilising basketball as an engagement tool to encourage young people to participate in pro-social activities during peak times for anti-social and offending behaviours. The program connects young people to positive role modelling, through connection with a large team of volunteers, and delivers targeted life-skills workshops in response to community needs. The program also aims to increase young people’s engagement in physical activity, and longer-term commitment to healthy lifestyles.