Melbourne Storm has launched a new school holiday initiative ‘Storm Waka’, aimed at supporting young people from Pasifika backgrounds throughout Melbourne.
Supported by the Victorian Government Department of Education, the Storm Waka program is targeted at young people between the age of 10-18 and largely from a Pasifika background.
The Storm Waka program launched in January with 53 young people attending across three days of activity. Casey Warriors Rugby League Club hosted the program, with excellent access to meeting rooms, food and dining areas and sports facilities.
“We’re incredibly proud to have launched Storm Waka, working with the Victorian Government and local organisations to deliver support to young people throughout our local region,” said Storm Head of Community Oscar Anderson.
“The program in Casey was a huge success, with three days of fantastic workshops and activities, encouraging participants to engage with Māori and Pacific Island culture, learn new skills and focus on important themes such as resilience, leadership, empathy and identifying their values.”
Highlights from the first Storm Waka program included a Māori haka workshop delivered by local organisation Nga Matai Purua, students learnt a traditional Samoan song, daily meals delivered each day by Pasifika catering organisations, and rugby league skills and games.
The Storm Waka program will take place each school holidays with three focus regions in Melbourne, including the south-eastern suburbs (Casey), northern suburbs (Hume) and western suburbs (Wyndham).
Storm have also partnered with the Centre of Multicultural Youth (CMY) and the Le Mana Pasifika Project to help deliver the program, providing participants with access to their extensive network of support, contacts and local resources.
The Storm Waka program will include the following:
- Workshops focusing on the development of important life skills such as resilience, leadership, empathy and identifying values. These activities have been adapted from the NRL’s highly successful ‘In League In Harmony’ program.
- Connection and celebration workshops, focusing on a variety of Pasifika cultures, working in conjunction with local Pasifika community organisations.
- Ice-breaker and youth-based games and activities centred around fun and engagement, including rugby league drills and skills.
Stay tuned for more information about how young people can register for future programs.
