Queensland Government funding boost supports key sports program

A massive $120,000 Queensland Government funding boost is set to unite Toowoomba’s multicultural communities through sport. Find out how to get involved in the game changing initiative here.

Queensland Minister for Multicultural Affairs Charis Mullen with members of the Queensland African Communities Council in Toowoomba.

Toowoomba’s future young sporting stars from culturally diverse and refugee backgrounds are set for a major boost with the latest announcement of $120,000 in funding from the state government as part of the celebrating multicultural Queensland project.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Charis Mullen was at West Wanderers Football Club this week to announce the exciting new initiative which aims to help migrants integrate within their communities.

Youth Mentor Mach Mach - born in a refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya - moved to Australia in 2011.

He is passionate about providing an equal chance for Migrants who settle in Toowoomba and expects the funding to provide a leg-up to the community.

“This is a program that is very close to home; it is a program that I have been a part of and can see the beauty that it will do in our community,” Mach said.

“It is an absolute game changer, when you talk about settling into a place, there is a fair bit you need to sort out.

“You need to look at housing, you need to look at employment, schooling so when you have someone that can support you with engaging in sport, engaging with a sense of community, a sense of belonging, then it is a little bit easier.

“So I think it is an absolute game changer for that funding but I think it is the very first step.

“I think it is a 10 step plan program and this is the very first stage of it and hopefully after the end of this year, we’ll look at additional steps that we can put in additional programs that we can put in to have those available for everyone.

“Because ultimately it is about equity - providing the need where it’s needed.”

Mach said sport was pivotal in his journey to not only settling into the Toowoomba community, but being able to call this town his home.

“I was lucky enough when I first came to Toowoomba I was invited to a program called the African Lions,” he said.

“The African Lions was a soccer group started by the first five Africans that settled in Toowoomba.

“That club has been around since 2003 and that’s just fostered and mentored young people for so long.

“Unfortunately we are seeing that program die off a little bit because volunteers are resettling, are getting married and employment is coming into factor and they can only take certain young people elsewhere.

“We have tournaments in Brisbane and only a certain amount of volunteers can provide those supports and transport those young people down.”

Mach Mach in action for University in the 2021 AFLQ Darling Downs competition. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The world game was not the only sport which helped Mach find his sense of belonging in the Garden City, with Aussie rules providing the perfect platform for him to make new friends while developing as an athlete.

“When I was settling into high school here, I was selected to be part of the multicultural program at the AFL team, so I was part of that Queensland state team,” he said.

“I was able to travel with some friends and some mates that I made while travelling to Sydney and we went to Coffs Harbour for a tournament.

“I still speak to those guys, a few of them like the likes of Mabior Chol, is playing for the Hawthorn Football Club now.

“So that has been a big part of me settling down and having that connection, having that understanding, having someone understand my story, that’s how I tell my story.”

Engaging the youth in team sports is also a form of escape for those with difficult school and home lives.

“I think for other young people, I think we are seeing a lot of struggles at school, we are seeing struggles at home, sport will be an escape for that,” Mach said.

“Sport will give them a way to come out and connect, a way to make friends, a way to express themselves.

“Hopefully for the majority of them, they will want that opportunity to then express themselves at an Australian level and succeed so well that they can say ‘I am Australian, I am representing Australia and what I love to do’.”

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Charis Mullen. Picture Lachie Millard

Ms Mullen said the grant would be used to employ a full-time youth worker and mentor in Toowoomba.

“It is $120,000 in funding to employ a full-time youth worker and mentor who will be able to work with the community, working mainly with disengaged young people from cultural and linguistically diverse communities re-engaging them particularly through sport,” she said.

“I think sport is one of those things that is a real leveller in our community and I think that there is a lot of interest in sport.

“It is not only about keeping healthy, it is about good mental health wellbeing as well.

“The idea of team sport I think is also really important, how you can be part of a community, part of society, it has always been a really great way to engage young people, who sometimes are a little bit disengaged, particularly academically.

“Sport is universal - people are playing soccer in particular all over the world and it is one of those things that is a real opener to having conversations, to meeting new people.

“It is really important and that is why we think that with a program like this funded through our celebrating multicultural Queensland project funding is so important for the Toowoomba community.

“Funding will kick off in July, it will be a one year program and then obviously we would love to have a look at it to see what further work we can do in this space.”