WA award for Community Benefits Strategy

The partnership between the Wirrpanda Foundation, Town of Victoria Park, West Coast Eagles and Perth Football Club has been recognised in the 2020 Parks and Leisure Regional Awards of Excellence for our jointly-developed Community Benefits Strategy.

The strategy won the ‘Community Based Initiative of the Year’ award and competed against other strong projects from the City of Cockburn, City of Fremantle, City of Perth, FORM, City of Melville and City of Wanneroo.

Launched in December 2019, the strategy enables the project partners to use their strengths to deliver a wide range of programs focusing on outcomes in employment, health, education, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing, youth engagement and social inclusion.

As part of the strategy, the Wirrpanda Foundation engages local youth in the weekly after school program, Wirra Club. Utilising our strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander role models, Wirra Club delivers activities focusing on a mix of health, wellbeing, physical activity and digital literacy skills such as coding, photography and robotics.

Wirrpanda Foundation CEO Lisa Cunningham said designing the strategy was a truly collaborative effort with all parties involved.

“The Wirrpanda Foundation would like to recognise how collaborative the process has been with all partners and in particular acknowledge the Town of Victoria Park in designing and assisting us to implement the strategy.”

“Our move to the Lathlain facility and gaining our first permanent home has been fantastic for the Foundation. Through the delivery of our programs we are enjoying being immersed in the community and we look forward to years ahead of working together to achieve great outcomes,” Cunningham said.   

Town of Victoria Park Deputy Mayor Bronwyn Ife congratulated all involved in the award-winning strategy.

“This award is well-deserved and goes to show how special and unique the strategy is both within our Town and in the wider community,” Ife said.

“I would like to thank the staff who worked so hard on this project, our partners in the process the West Coast Eagles and Wirrpanda Foundation, Town Elected Members past and present, and most importantly our community. It’s through the contributions and passion of the community that we have meaningful programs being delivered today.”

West Coast Eagles CEO Trevor Nisbett said it was exciting for the Community Benefits Strategy to be recognised so early into the partnership with the Town of Victoria Park, Wirrpanda Foundation and Perth Football Club.

“It demonstrates the impact we have already enjoyed in the 12 months or so that we have been located at Mineral Resources Park, but also at a time when it has been challenging to ensure we connect with the local community,” Nisbett said.

The Community Benefits Strategy will now progress to the national awards which will be announced in November.