Reconciliation Week culminated with Vice-Chancellor Martin Bean CBE joining Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and 20,000 others in the Long Walk from Federation Square to the MCG for the ‘Dreamtime at the G’ game between Essendon and Richmond.
RMIT’s new partnership with the Essendon Football Club added another dimension to Reconciliation Week this year, with the MCG crowd treated to a video featuring Essendon legend Kevin Sheedy and RMIT students and staff discussing Reconciliation and the importance of building a shared future for all Australians.
The Long Walk CEO and Essendon Director Leanne Brook said Essendon had partnered with RMIT to educate, inspire and change lives.
“Our partnership with RMIT will enable us to provide genuine education pathways for our Next Generation Academy (NGA) participants in our north-west corridor and regional communities, ensuring that our program builds personal capabilities outside of football.”
Martin Bean said he was excited about the possibilities the partnership offered.
“Through RMIT’s Ngarara Willam, we support the ongoing economic and social development of young Indigenous people by creating pathways into tertiary education,” he said.
“We’re exploring new research opportunities that deliver real impact in a range of areas including sports science, nutrition, textiles and e-sports – to name just a few.
“We’re also creating connections between the club and our students. In fact, the Essendon Women’s VFL team has started training at our new AFL ground recently opened at our Bundoora campus, training right alongside our own RMIT Redbacks who have been relishing the chance to be part of and see elite athletes in action.”
RMIT also announced its partnership with Hands on Health Australia (HoHA). The two organisations have teamed up to deliver a student outreach health clinic to the Fitzroy Stars – an Indigenous football and netball club. The clinic not only helps Chiropractic and Exercise Science students develop their diagnostic and examinations skills as health professionals, but also gives them an insight into the importance of the Fitzroy Stars in the broader community.
Story: Karen Phelan
