SWAG Program from Bruton Basketball Foundation transcript
Matthew: My name’s Matthew Curic and I'm from Broadmeadows. Trying to find a job for me was pretty hard because I was always heavily drug affected, up until last ten months. I found out about the SWAG program through APM. We got to get out the basketball. Learn how to play basketball, which I didn't have a clue how to play to begin with, but I picked it up pretty quick - they actually helped me pick it up really quick. Yeah, the SWAG program's helped me find my confidence again because I get bad anxiety or still do a little bit.
C.J. Bruton: My name is C.J. Bruton, and I'm a former basketball player from the NBA to Australian basketball. This program that we are a part of here in Bendigo is called the SWAG program, with APM. And this is to help transition from sports to, recruitment to, you into your job and out of your comfort zone and create opportunities to show how team work and balancing life, work and the skill set all together.
Jackie: I'm Jackie Smith and I'm from Bendigo, Victoria. I have endometriosis.It’s kept me inside and I don't want to come out in public. The challenge in finding a job would have to be like my health and doctors and hospital appointments. Cheryl from APM called me and asked me if I want to do the program. I said, yeah, why not?
Cheryl: So the program is a mentoring program, and it's designed to take participants outside of their comfort zone by using sport as a conduit, if you like. So what we've seen over the last couple of days is the interaction between, CJ and Cal and our participants playing basketball and having fun, but also having little sessions where they're just really telling their story of their life.
Rocky: We try to work out their barriers and work through their barriers. Until they reach their final goal which is into employment, so it’s what we do. We all work for their betterment, but the main goal is employment.
Raymond: My name's Raymond Cook from Hobart. I've been with APM for about six months. I have found that they are better than any normal job network I've been with in the past, especially Rocky. I don't know much about basketball,but the last three days has been phenomenal. I’m really for the program. I can see it going places and helping a lot of people.
Aunty Lyn Warren: My name is Aunty Lyn Warren. I’m a proud Yorta Yorta Wemba Wemba Elder, and very involved in the Bendigo community. Well, my granddaughter, you know Miranda, she told me about this program. And I will admit I didn't understand much about it. But since I've been here and witnessed how it's run, I think it's really great. It's really beneficial. And I think it'll help a lot of our people, the young people, everyone can jump on board, know that there's someone out there and especially like APM, it's such a warm lot of people and that makes all the difference.
Matthew: If I hadn't done the program, I'd probably still be at home, depressed, like, a bit depressed, and with anxiety still, not wanting to come out in the public. But it's really helped with releasing that. I'm looking forward to the future, doing alright for my kids, getting a full time job and actually getting my life back together.
Jackie: I’m more out there now than now than I was recently. For the last couple months I didn't want to do anything, and now I'm back to my normal self. My outlook on the future has changed from doing this program. I would recommend it to anyone.
Raymond: I wasn't ready for work, but now I am. Workers at APM and the SWAG program organisers have been uplifting my motivation levels from last week to this week. And I can see it in my future life, but carrying that motivation forward.
C.J.Bruton: The partnership with APM has been amazing. I think, my father, Cal Bruton, and Austin and APM have been able to connect and show how not only is this program great for Bendigo, I think it's great for all around Australia. And I think they'll be able to change lives and stay connected from sports to the work related.
Group: Teamwork makes the dream work.