About the program
‘More than a Game’ is a youth mentoring program based on sport. It was developed by the Western Bulldogs in partnership with:
- Newport Islamic Society
- Australian Federal Police
- Victoria Police
- Hobsons Bay City Council.
The program aimed to develop a community-based resilience model that uses team-based sports to address:
- issues of identity
- a sense of belonging
- cultural isolation
among young men of Islamic faith. These issues have all been identified as promoting forms of violent extremism.
Key takeaways
An evaluation of the program found multiple benefits.
Participants experienced strong personal transformation through their involvement in the program. This was particularly in relation to building self-confidence and leadership skills.
Participants raised the debilitating effects of racial and religious stereotypes. They noted these were a significant barrier to feelings of:
- confidence
- well-being
- belonging to the community.
More than a Game helped participants break down such stereotypes.
The program strengthened relationships between young people and police through mentoring activities. These allowed sensitive issues such as violence and terrorism to be discussed directly.
The program generated strong media interest. It made an impact by projecting positive role models and messages about young Muslim men in the community. It also countered negative media stereotypes.
Participants experienced team sport as a level playing field. People of all cultural backgrounds were bound by the same rules and expectations. Participants experienced this as a model of ‘lived justice’.
Participants provided evidence that attitudes towards different cultural groups, particularly Jewish people, significantly improved over the course of the program.
The program developed open and trusting relationships. This included relationships between:
- participants and stakeholders
- local communities, government and non-government agencies.
This provided opportunities for:
- knowledge sharing
- breaking down stereotypes
- engaging young people at-risk.
Relevant reports
More Than A Game Evaluation Report, McDonald, K., Grossman, M. and Johns, A., Centre for Cultural Diversity and Wellbeing, Victoria University, 2012.