The Hawks Community Foundation has received fantastic recognition for its Hawks For All program, named as a finalist in the 2022 Victorian Health Promotion Awards.
Hawks For All is in the running to win an award in the Driving Health Equity Award category.
This category recognises a health promotion organisation or program that works to support Victorians facing greater barriers to health and wellbeing, including, but not limited to, people with disability, people on low incomes, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, people living in regional/rural areas and LGBTIQ+ Victorians.
This year alone, Hawks for All delivered 55 workshops at various schools, with 5500 students in participation.
The workshops were run by 10 facilitators from Hawthorn’s AFL Blind and Wheelchair AFL programs, including Hawks AFL Blind captain Ned Brewer-Maiga and Wheelchair AFL best and fairest winner Joanna Argaet.
The program received outstanding reviews from parents and teachers of children who participated, with one parent saying: “(this program) showcases what people with disabilities can do, normalises their participation, fosters inclusion and raises awareness of the challenges they face.”
Another teacher said: “students who normally find it hard to sit still and listen sat for 35 minutes listening to Peter (Frank, facilitator) and Ned (Brewer-Maiga, facilitator).”
The winners of the 2022 Victorian Health Promotion Awards will be announced at a ceremony on Monday 13 February 2023.
