Dyson Heppell has helped make a difference during an off-season with a difference.
Many players use their time off to head to the northern hemisphere for a well-earned break.
Heppell and partner Kate travelled north too, but not quite as far, stopping off on the Tiwi Islands to participate in an important community initiative.
The Bombers star is an ambassador for SEDA – an organisation that aims to engage, educate and empower young people as they transition from school, to the workforce or further study.
“They’re doing some amazing things so I really enjoyed it,” Heppell said.
“SEDA is a secondary education provider. It engages students with a passion for sport, it gives them future pathways into university or work.
“It’s a great program. Kate and myself went up and she worked mainly with the girls group and I mingled in with the boys.
“They’re amazing, unreal.”
SEDA is a national program that has been in place for almost a decade.
The program Heppell participated in sees senior secondary school boys employed by SEDA one day per week as sport and recreation and health promotion officers.
In this role they work on communication, leadership and time management skills during the week before applying those skills by running sporting clinics for younger children.
“We use sport to engage them in the program and then we build literacy, numeracy, work skills, life skills – everything those young men will need to enter the workforce after school,” National Development Manager at SEDA, Nick Hannett, said.
“They do health messaging and they also run programs and that’s about driving those young kids to school but it’s also about being role models around education.
“It also gives relevance to their study when we say you’ve got to work on your presentation skills and organisational skills - because we go out one day per week to actually do real work.”
The program has led to a significant increase in attendance rates at school.
“We’re seeing something pretty amazing,” CEO of the Tiwi Land Council, Brian Clancy, said.
“We have 19 senior boys in the SEDA program, where nearly 80% are turning up every week.
"I can tell you now, there is no such thing in remote secondary Indigenous education.
“It’s just a phenomenal result. It’s the kids themselves that decide to come to school. The kids vote with their feet. It’s because of the SEDA program that has got the kids in the right head space.”
Heppell, who is about to fly to the US and Ireland to represent Australia in the International Rules match, has spent time in the Tiwi Islands before.
Throughout this most recent trip Heppell worked closely with teachers and students.
Hannett said the impact Heppell had was significant.
“Dyson has been there because of Essendon’s connection over a number of years,” he said.
“He really likes the community and wanted to stay involved in a program on the ground that’s making a difference.
“It’s really important for the program because it connects students with something bigger.
“It’s not that they’re all going to go and work for an AFL team or in sport. All of the skills are transferable – turning up on time, being organised, communication skills.
“It also gives the boys motivation to practice their communication skills. They took Dyson out for a cultural day so needed to prepare for that and they get their learning through that as well.”
For more information on SEDA, click here.