The Santos Aboriginal Power Cup Leadership Conference is being hosted by Flinders University for the second year running, welcoming more than 500 Indigenous students on campus tomorrow (Wednesday 17 May).
The conference and Power Cup will bring Indigenous students from rural and metro South Australian schools to participate in this education-based program, which leverages Australian Rules Football to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary school students to encourage and pursue their education and workforce pathways.
The Power Cup program, which is an initiative of the Port Adelaide Football Club, is delivered in partnership with the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy (SAASTA) and is directly aligned with the South Australian School Curriculum.
Flinders University has been a proud partner of the Power Cup program since 2021, and the Flinders Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement Outreach and Pathways team has supported school-based activities across participating schools to inform students on Flinders University pathways and raise their post-school pathway aspirations.
The Leadership Conference will include a range of presentations from industry partners, health and wellbeing workshops, and cultural activities led by Senior Kaurna man, Uncle Mickey Kumatpi Murrutya O’Brien.
While the competitive football carnival serves as the flagship event for the program, the program’s primary focus is to engage young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and help them make positive lifestyle choices that build their personal identity, exercise, career, lifestyle and culture.
The carnival aligns with the launch of AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their contribution to Australian football.
The Santos Aboriginal Power Cup will conclude with a grand final match, which will be held as the curtain-raiser for the AFL clash between Yartapullti (Port Adelaide Football Club) and Narrm (Melbourne Football Club) at Tarntanya Wama (Adelaide Oval) on Friday 19 May.
Flinders University is thrilled to once again host this conference event and looks forward to supporting Indigenous students in their education and career pathways.