Canberra Raiders squad members have recently been taking part in a specially designed program at the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre, giving back and helping inspire the next generation.
Former Raiders captain Alan Tongue has been running the ASPIRE program for youth at the Bimberi Centre since 2012, and today still delivers the program every school holiday break.
Raiders players from the NRL and NRLW squads through to the Under 20s Jersey Flegg team have been coming along to the sessions each school holidays since last year and have been sharing their stories to help support and connect with the youth at the centre.
The Bimberi Youth Justice Centre in Canberra supports young people to get back on track, continue learning and build skills, avoid future criminal behaviour and return confidently to the community through a range of programs and services.
The school holiday programs run by ‘Tonguey’ consists of rugby league drills/skills and games to bring the young people together but is also used as a vehicle to share important social messages, with teamwork, persistence and goal setting some of the major focuses during the past school holidays.
Tongue said that these sessions have been very valuable for both the people at Bimberi and also the players and staff themselves.
“For me it is a real privilege to be asked to come back and work with the young people. Each and every time I get to work in Bimberi I’m continually reminded of the power of sport and the life lessons it has taught me but also what it can teach anybody who is willing to get in and have a go,” Tongue said.
“In particular, these school holidays had the players and staff come in and share their stories so honestly and the genuine care they showed towards the young people was a highlight. The Canberra Raiders are more than a product on the footy field, they are great people who appreciate the opportunity they have as players and want to give back to the community they live in.”
There are many connections between the Raiders and Bimberi, including Jordan Macey, who is the current Raiders Jersey Flegg assistant coach and also the Sport & Recreation Manager at Bimberi.
“In 2018 Jersey Flegg coach Ash Barnes asked if I'd be interested to come in help out, something I'm really grateful for,” Macey said.
“I was really excited for the opportunity having come through the junior NRL system myself, the chance to give back and contribute what I could from my own experiences was something I felt and still feel really passionate about.”
Macey says that the young people in Bimberi take a lot out of Tongue’s program and engage really well with Alan Tongue, the players and the staff at Bimberi.
“The young people know that the players volunteer their own time to come into the centre and whether it’s Flegg, NSW Cup, NRL or NRLW players coming into the centre the young people are always respectful and very excited,” Macey said.
“They got to hear all the players stories and hear the struggles and sacrifices the players have had to get to where they are today and they could relate to a few of the players stories which was important.
“I think the message that got through is that they are only one good decision from turning their life around.”
