The fears of professional footballers can hardly be compared to the plight of those forced to live on the street, but today the anxieties were well and truly shared when members of the Gold Coast Football Club joined with GCYC youth homelessness program participants at Seaworld’s Shark Bay Lagoon.
GCFC Assistant Coach Shaun Hart and players Daniel Harris, Charlie Dixon, Joey Day joined nearly thirty program participants for a snorkel among an extraordinary array of marine life including seven different species of shark.
Amanda Wright, a community development worker at GCYC, says the impact of days like today on young, healing lives cannot be overstated.
‘These people are doing something they wouldn’t ordinarily get to do. And they’re learning to overcome fears. It’s also a rare chance for these kids to get together. Often they feel socially excluded. This is an important way of letting them feel the opposite.’
She says youth homelessness on the Gold Coast is a near invisible problem that is often overlooked.
‘On any given Gold Coast night there are 750 people out there who are homeless,’ she says. ‘Most will be sleeping rough under stairways or on the beach or wherever else.’
The event was the brainchild of GCFC Community Programs Officer and former Brisbane Bear, Corey Bell.
‘Youth homelessness has been identified by Gold Coast City Council as one of three most critical issues confronting the region in coming years,’ says Bell.
‘As a club we are absolutely committed to raising awareness of the issue on the Gold Coast.’
After the swim, program participants were addressed by Shaun Hart. He said the challenges face by young people today were immense.
‘Growing up these days is extremely hard,’ he said. ‘We find ourselves in a world where there are a lot of broken relationships and broken family units. There’s also a lot of things [confronted by young people] that degrade value systems and eat away at young people’s self esteem.’
Hart drew on his fifteen AFL year career to share some lessons he’d learned.
‘Just like today in the shark pool, you need to face up to your fears if you are to overcome difficult hurdles,’ he said. ‘Nothing is too big, no matter how hard it might seem at the time. Have a go. You are never a failure if you try in life.’
‘But most of all, no matter how hard things seem, try to be someone who gives. Because in my experience, it’s from giving that you ultimately gain the most.’
For Joey Day, one GCFC’s most promising young recruits, it’s a lesson he’s already taken on board. Working with the community - and particularly young people - is something he is hoping to do much more of.
‘As professional footballers we are in a pretty lucky position,’ he says. ‘It’s important that we give something back.’
He says some of his father’s experiences growing up in Burma have taught Day never to ignore the plights of those less fortunate.
‘Burma’s a heavily militarised country, really rigid and strict. Nothing like here. I just think it’s important for people who have it good never to forget about people who don’t. We should never take how good we have things for granted.’
