Collingwood’s dedication to the community will be on display during Sir Douglas Nicholls Indigenous Round through the continued effectiveness of the Barrawarn Program.

Now more than 15 years old, the program is aimed at empowering young Indigenous Australians through employment and educational opportunities and tackling Indigenous disadvantage through increased economic participation and development.

“Indigenous Round and the Barrawarn Project in general is about creating awareness and sharing our culture right throughout the club far and wide,” Collingwood’s Indigenous Programs Manager Debby Lovett told Collingwood Media this week.

“The Barrawarn Program was initially set up as an Indigenous employment program and has been operating since for 15 years.

“It involves direct employment, as well as outsourcing AFL sports traineeships and school-based traineeships.”

Since its inception, a partnership with AFL SportsReady has allowed around 50 staff to come through the program.

Leon Egan has spent several years working as a key consultant at AFL SportsReady and has seen first-hand the opportunities provided.

He believes the program’s benefits are two-fold.

“I know there’s some significant employment success stories as part of the program,” Egan told Collingwood Media.

“But it also provides leadership to the Collingwood footy club’s Aboriginal players, in particular (program ambassador) Travis Varcoe.”

As the Barrawarn Program continues to achieve its goals, it does so with the support of Collingwood’s premier partner CGU Insurance.

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