Swans Districts Football Club partners with Rio Tinto to deliver Pilbara based Aboriginal football program

The WA Football Commission, Rio Tinto and Swan Districts Football Club have come together to deliver a new Aboriginal focussed football program in the Pilbara. Announced last week, the new program aims to promote, develop and grow all aspects of Australian Rules Football in the community with a focus on Aboriginal participation. It will also focus on growing the program at a grassroots level, working with local Auskick programs and schools such as Roebourne District High School. To help deliver the initiative Swan Districts have hired one of their former WAFL prospects, Lawrence Tittums, as the club’s Indigenous Social Impact officer. As a proud Noongar and Yamatji man, Mr Tittums has strong family ties to the Pilbara which he has called home for most of his life. Although Mr Tittums originally looked to pursue a career as a professional footballer, along his journey in the sport he discovered a hearty zeal for community work. Expressing his passion for working with children, Mr Tittums said he was enthusiastic about the opportunity to give back to the Pilbara football community. “The Pilbara was the country I always seem to be drawn back to, it feels like home,” he said. Swan Districts Head of Social Impact Jason Burton said the club was dedicated to improving and creating more football opportunities for Aboriginal youth in the region. “This new program is a testament to our Roebourne Social Impact Manager Jimmy Westbrook and our partnership with Roebourne District High School,” he said. Congratulating Mr Tittums on his new role, Mr Burton said the Elevate mentoring program graduate’s hiring shows the impact their social programs can have on those who participate. “It highlights the outcomes of our Roebourne social impact programs preparing youth for life and it also shows other kids what’s possible,” he said. The Swans Pilbara Indigenous Football Program will also be supported by additional Swan Districts staff, volunteers and WAFL and WAFLW players.