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The program takes Olympians and aspiring Olympians into classrooms and communities to inspire and motivate youth to be their best selves, with a specific focus on resilience and goal setting.

Olympics Unleashed was supported by DLGSC through a $40,000 Regional Servicing Grant. The program has been developed by the Australian Olympic Committee with the DLGSC and the Department of Education.

Local schools have received visits from sports heroes such as Olympic basketballers Natalie Burton and four-time Olympian Andrew Vlahov, and pole vaulter Nina Kennedy.

“As a future Olympian — these kids are so young and dreaming and it’s important to inspire them to reach for their goals,” says Nina, who has been chosen for the Tokyo team. Earlier this year, the Perth athlete broke the Australian pole-vaulting record. 

Nina said even if the kids weren’t aspiring to be Olympians, she hoped the visits inspired them to strive as hard for other goals and to understand the importance of goal setting and teamwork.

The 2021 pilot program will target 57 individual schools across WA. Each school receives at least one face-to-face and one online session, which are delivered by current or former Olympians within the school curriculum and facilitated by community engagement sessions.

More than 2000 students engaged with the program in Term 2 during 22 individual school visits. In regional WA, the Olympics Unleashed team visited the Pilbara (Newman, Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Karratha), Goldfields (Menzies, Leonora, Laverton, Leinster and Esperance) and Kimberley (Broome, Ardyaloon/One Arm Point, Mowanjum Community and Fitzroy Crossing).

The Term 3 program will include visits to Geraldton (coinciding with the Olympics Live site), South West (Collie, Bunbury, Dunsborough), Wheatbelt (Dowerin, Wongan Hills, Koorda, Moorine Rock, Narrogin, Kellerberrin and Northam) and Exmouth.

For updates on Olympics Unleashed in your area, follow the department’s regional offices on social media.

Olympics Unleashed