About Sports Without Borders

Grant Application Schedule 2010

• Round 1 - 1st January - 30 June 2010

• Round 2 - 1st July - 30th September 2010

• Round 3 - 1st October - 31st December 2010

 About

Sports Without Borders is a not for profit organisation which is dedicated to providing support for young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds who are involved or want to get involved in sport.

Sport has played a vital role in multicultural Australia, empowering many newly-arrived Australians to develop an identity and sense of active belonging. Sports Without Borders will foster this process by providing funding and services to young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. 

Foundation Objectives

 The Sports Without Borders Foundation aims to foster accessible, multilingual resources and services, (more) funding pathways, direct financial support, training/mentorship programs and sponsorship contacts to refugee and migrant communities by:

• Developing an understanding of particular barriers to participation in sport experienced by refugee youth in Australian society;

• Developing and implementing innovative platforms and initiatives to help overcome those barriers by highlighting the messages and opportunities arising through sport;

•  Developing linkages, associations and agreements with public, private and community organisations and funding bodies to increase support for these objectives;

•  Raising community awareness of issues relevant to the activities of the Foundation;

•  Pursuing associated educational and research activities and opportunities;

•  Providing support for and opportunities to students and academics studying and working in fields conducive to the attainment of these objectives.

• Creating, publishing and disseminating information in connection with these objectives;

•  Soliciting grants, donations, gifts and bequests to the Foundation for the purpose of achieving the objectives.

Multilingual Internet Access

SWB has an established website that is the major form of communication with community sporting clubs and organisations. The internet is a cost effective way of providing multilingual resources and information to sporting organisations, local clubs and individuals. The DPCD grant enables all key information to be translated into seven community languages - Arabic, Chinese, Somali, Turkish, Vietnamese, Dari and Lebanese.

SWB Model

SWB was formed in 2006 in response to the key findings of the Australian Bureau of Statistics 

report on sport participation that found that people from Non English speaking backgrounds were two thirds less likely to participate in organised sport.

 This contention was again highlighted just one month ago with the release of businessman David Crawford’s Report into Australian Sport. The Report suggests more funding should go to mass participation "lifetime" sports which lead to a healthier society, such as netball, cricket, tennis, golf, the various football codes and surfing.

 SWB’s direct grants model overcomes identified barriers to participation and opens up participation pathways by providing accessible, multilingual resources and services, training/mentorship programs, sponsorship contacts direct financial support for equipment, registration fees, hire of training venues, specialist coaching and participation in sports tours and clinics.

The aim of the foundation is to assist young people from newly arrived refugee and first and second generation migrant backgrounds to integrate into their local communities by facilitating their participation in sport. Sport has played a vital role in multicultural Australia, empowering many newly-arrived Australians to develop an identity and sense of active belonging.

Please feel free to contact us.

Municipal Association of Victoria

SWB has initiated major projects in the City of Hume and City of Moonee Valley with grants from the Victorian Government through the provision of a Victorian Community Support Grant from the Community Support Fund and the Scanlon Foundation.

SWB is now working with the Municipal Association of Victoria to introduce these programs to 20 Councils
around Victoria wherethere are significant newly arrived populations. Thereis an application before The
Department of Planning and Community Development (“DPCD”) to expand SWB’s existing program with the DPCD and 20 councils .

What we sponsor:

• Transport and Travel
• International Scholarships
• Community Sporting Events
• Registration Fees/Gear

Sports Without Borders Team

James Demetriou – the newly appointed Executive Officer of the North
Melbourne Learning & Life Centre. He is the former Managing Director of
the Acquis Group which provides corporate strategy advice.

John Stafford – Managing consultant to SWB. John has experience in
community development, education and sport. Clients include Catholic
Education Office Melbourne, AFL, Country Education Project and VIS.

Dolores Singh – SWB Project Officer. Dolores has been the SWB Project
Officer for 2 years. She has strong administrative experience and she was a
foundation member of the Foundation.

Anne King – Former Executive Director Oceanic Foundation, which was
formed under the Oceanic National Olympic Committees.

Tom Demetriou – Media and communications consultant with a broad
range of experience in media