By CASEY NEILL
RUGBY is connecting Dandenong youths and police.
Officers last Wednesday joined Melbourne Rebels’ multicultural development program Access Rugby at Pop-Up-Park for the first time.
Dandenong Proactive Policing Unit Sergeant Melissa Blair said they would take part in the 5.30pm to 7pm session each week.
“We’ve been involved with Access Rugby for a little while, but police involvement hasn’t been that full-on,” she said.
Sgt Blair said the clinics were a good opportunity to connect with young people from New Zealand in particular, to build relationships with the community in a relaxed environment and encourage participants to stay in or take up education or employment.
“It’s a really good program,” she said.
She said about 40 participants were signed up for the Dandenong session but there was an open invitation to join in.
The Access Rugby vision is to partner with community and business, using rugby as the vehicle to create opportunities for disadvantaged people around leadership, education and employment.
The program specifically engages Indigenous and cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, teaching lessons around teamwork in sport while encouraging them to take ownership of their future.
Access Rugby officers work within and with local communities to assist participants in preparing themselves to obtain full-time, long-term work, by which they can have a positive impact on their families and community.
