cohealth and north melbourne football club partner for the cohealth kangaroos

North Melbourne Football Club and cohealth, Melbourne’s newest and largest community health organisation have partnered as cohealth Kangaroos to provide access to team sports for people doing it tough in Melbourne’s inner north and west.

Launching today at North Melbourne Football Club (NMFC), the team reaches out to marginalised people – people who may have mental health issues, be experiencing homelessness, and/ or be a newly arrived Australian – to provide opportunities for team sports and recreation, as a means to improve health and wellbeing and promote healthy lifestyle choices.

According to cohealth Transitional CEO, Lyn Morgain, this partnership provides access to team sports for people who find it difficult to access mainstream sports clubs.

“Joining in and being part of a team like the cohealth Kangaroos improves mental and physical health and wellbeing and assists participants to develop a sense of belonging, self-worth, and community connection.

“Often a secondary outcome of teams like cohealth Kangaroos is the ability to link participants in to other health and support services, to build community and connection”, Morgain said.

cohealth is delighted to partner with NMFC whose Huddle program was established in 2010 to improve social cohesion by systematically addressing the causes of disengagement among young people. The Huddle’s programs target youth from migrant and refugee backgrounds, in North Melbourne, Flemington, Kensington, West Melbourne and the City of Wyndham.

What: cohealth Kangaroos – team launch at North Melbourne Football Club Team members
Former NMFC Player, Peter ‘Crackers’ Keenan Presentation of footy jumpers to players
When: Today (Wednesday 28 May, 2014) 3.00-4.30pm
Where: NMFC Theatre – 204 – 206, Arden Street, North Melbourne

cohealth Kangaroos is set to compete in their first footy game on Wednesday June 4 to be held at Victoria Park, Abbotsford against the Collingwood Knights. The cohealth Kangaroos first home game will be held at JJ Holland Park, Kensington on the June 18.