By Nicholas Creely
In Australia, youth homelessness is at an all-time high with a vast population of youth aged between 12 and 25 battling to find a place to sleep.
And on 4 February the Dandenong Rangers will look to tackle the issue head-on in a match dedicated to the Unite Project, an organisation committed to getting youth off the streets.
The Unite Project, partnered with Nu Pure Beverages, a 100 per cent Australian owned company, provides Australians with spring water sourced from specially selected pristine Australian springs.Currently The Unite Project has 576 stockists Australia wide with more than 280,000 bottles of water sold and $158,000 raised to assist youth.
Unite Project ambassador, and current Dandenong Ranger Sara Blicavs said that the epidemic Australia currently faces needs more awareness and that she is doing all she can to help out.
“I came on to the project through my brother (Mark) as it started really through the Geelong Football Club – it’s a branch of Cotton On – and it, basically, is those fluro coloured water bottles that you would see around cafes, and it tackles youth homelessness,” she said.
“There are 26,000 young Aussie people between the ages of 12-25 in a homeless shelter or couch surfing and what they do (Unite Project) is they will give to organisations and charities that will help clean up the youth and get them off the street.
“I remember last year the Rangers girls did the Big Umbrella, seeing the homeless on Flinders Street, and that was such an amazing experience, and so eye-opening, and I think ever since then this whole project has been perfect for me.
“I want to clean up and, especially with a lot of things happening with the homeless now, I really want to help.”
Other high-profile ambassadors include Sara’s brother Mark, an AFL player with Geelong, other Cats players Lincoln McCarthy and Jed Bews, as well as AFL legend Brad Johnson.
The match will be played at Dandenong Stadium against the Townsville Fire, with tip-off at 6.30pm, and Blicavs urges Rangers fans to come out and join in the night and the festivities.
“It’s all about awareness that night, the whole game is, basically, dedicated to the Unite Project – $3.50 for each ticket entry will go to the Unite Project and you will also be given a bottle of water – it’s about awareness and trying to get cafes or businesses to buy a fridge and store our water,” she said.
“I’m looking for a big crowd to come and join and make it a big night so it should be great.”
For more information, visit www.theuniteproject.org.
