TRANSCRIPT
On a pitch like any other, prisoners at Melbourne's Metropolitan Remand Centre are playing football.
It's a game where team work unites, communication is key and the success of hard work is celebrated.
They're all valuable lessons sport can teach.
The means of bettering oneself is something the inmates at this facility have committed their time towards as part of a coaching program run by the Melbourne City Football Club.
One who spoke to SBS and asked for his name to be withheld says it's been a valuable opportunity:
“For me personally resilience was the main one, being a prisoner you sometimes get down on yourself and think that you know life's over. We are in a situation right now which isn't great, but we've still got years ahead of us and there's still a chance for us in the future.”
The aim of the eight-week course is to equip participants with life skills.
Nick Selisky of the Metropolitan Remand Centre says that's being done through not only time together on the field but lessons conveyed by mentors and guest speakers.
“In 34 years in corrections, I've seen lots of programs but this really connects the men into the community - gives them self worth. To see the personal growth and the change and when you speak to them on a one on one basis and they reflect on the positive impact it's had to their lives.”
Shaun Millett is among those to share his story. He's a member of Melbourne City's power chair football team.
The adversity he's overcome has resonated with inmates.
“Things will always get better, as much as it doesn't seem like it - they always do. And I hope that they can recognise that while their situation at the moment is less than stellar things will get better.”
Melbourne City is the first team in Australia to conduct the prison-based program on behalf of the Twining Project, which also works with English premier league sides, like its counterpart Manchester City.
The club's head of community Sunil Menon says it’s sought to replicate that success.“We know football unites the world and is the world game - and we think we've got a significant role to play in using that for good - particularly in the corrections system. We've seen amazing results around resilience, leadership, teamwork and most importantly the young men involved have really grown and made new connections amongst themselves.”
The Victorian Minister for Corrective Services Enver Erdogan says it's about trying to improve the lives of inmates both inside the facility and upon their return to the community.
“This is about community safety ultimately because understanding that people that enter our corrections system most of them will ultimately be back out in our communities and if we can address their behaviour and make a positive difference while they are with us - it means all of us will be safer out of the community.”
The world game is also helping unite prisoners of different cultural backgrounds with what they have in common.
Another prisoner who spoke to SBS says they've been united by a determination to be better.
“Showing that everyone from all different, anywhere around the world, all different races, personalities we can come together as a team and just become better people and just work together. Like this is not the end of the road for us, it just gives us hope and there is so much more out there, this is just a stepping stone.”
