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ILC Fact Sheet - NATIONAL ABORIGINAL SPORTS CORPORATION AUSTRALIA (NASCA)

David Liddiard, ex rugby league star founded NASCA 10 years ago as a way to connect with young Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders in some of the most disadvantaged communities in Australia. NASCA's aim was to help young Indigenous people understand that they can have dreams – and achieve them.

NASCA's programs are about having fun, but they are also about inspiring and motivating Indigenous youth to reach their full potential. Programs include:

  • ARMtour (Athletes as Role Models) - High profile athletes (both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) volunteer their time to travel to communities where they conduct sports clinics and education programs. To date, ARMtour has reached more than 6,000 young people in 11 different communities.
  • "Hunting for an Australian Tiger" - a national sports development program to promote the talents and careers of young Aboriginal golfers. NASCA achieves this though regular visits to centres of Aboriginal population to hold golfing workshops and competitions for Aboriginal children and ongoing mentoring programs.
  • Rugby League - a joint initiative with NRL aimed at promoting the game and identifying and developing young Aboriginal players. In a typical year, NASCA runs 40 rugby league clinics involving around 4000 young people.
  • "Casting the Net" - a program for Indigenous girls and women in remote and rural areas to play netball; improving their self esteem, encouraging a healthy lifestyle and creating a pathway for Indigenous players to reach elite levels.
  • Basketball - a new community development program with the Sydney Kings, focused on youth in Redfern and Alexandria Park.
  • Educational scholarships - encouraging and rewarding students’ achievements in sport and education

Indigenous athletes involved with NASCA on all levels, from being out in the communities running programs through to NASCA Board membership are Dean Widders (Parramatta Eels), Kyle Vander Kuyp (Olympic hurdler) and Michael O'Loughlin (Sydney Swans).

Once established, NASCA predict future numbers of participants at the Centre to be in the order of 200 non-residential and 30 residential per month.

This Fact Sheet was part of the Media Kit at the Media Conference on 11 July 2006 to announce the ILC would proceed to purchase the former Redfern Public School site and establish a National Indigenous Development Centre.