Thanks to the Confident Girls Foundation, Lightning recently completed its ‘Uplift’ program — a collaboration with Noosa Flexible Learning Centre (NFLC) which aims to develop, engage and empower young women physically, emotionally and socially.
NFLC strives to create an inclusive and accepting environment where all members have opportunities to engage in genuine learning. The Centre allows students to finish their high school education, with many experiencing one or more significant and complex educational, social, development, psychological, health, legal or familial situations.
The six-week pilot program saw Lightning players and students come together for a range of activities including netball and court games, building push bikes, mural painting, a cooking class, Suncoast Spinners wheelchair netball, and beach games with Grill’d for lunch.
NFLC Young People Wellbeing Coordinator Kaytlin Warner said the girls responded positively to the Program and thoroughly enjoyed the activities.
“The Uplift program was great for our crew, the program really suited our girls by gently introducing them to sports and a healthy lifestyle through fun activities and relationship building. The players really made the girls feel understood and accepted, and the activities were very diverse which resulted in 16 young women engaging in the program,” she said.
“Some of the girls’ highlights were building bikes that were donated to IFYS, painting a mural at the school, cooking lunch and wheelchair netball. I really enjoyed watching the girls engage in the activities when they would never normally play sport and get out of their comfort zones. It’s tribute to the organisation and planning of the program by Emma and the understanding and flexibility of the players and program to adapt to our young people’s needs.”
