Kylie Power and Kylie Roberts are Western Region police. They are mothers with daughters, and experienced netball coaches with a keen social conscience and sense of community.
Last year, as Covid-19 ravaged the world and shut down grassroots sport in Victoria, the two Kylies also shared something else: a plan to help girls at risk of disengagement navigate the challenging mid-teen years, by using netball as the vehicle and the prospect of part-time work to help drive it.
Thus, in February, the first-of-its-kind “Girl in Charge” pilot - involving Victoria Police, Netball Victoria and the Surf Coast Secondary College - was born.
The holistic program is designed to provide Year 9 and 10 girls with the tools to foster a positive self-image and to achieve healthy goals by connecting them with community, sport and employment pathways, developing leadership skills and confidence.
Participants can cultivate their love of netball by attaining the nationally accredited Foundation umpire education qualification, while personal wellness is enhanced by public speaking, nutrition and motivational sessions, among others.
“One of the reasons we wanted to help girls is through our history coaching under 15s at local netball clubs,’’ says Detective Senior Constable Roberts, who lives and works in Torquay.
“Prior to Covid, two players impressed upon me how they wanted to learn to umpire. Being in Torquay it was a difficult thing for the girls to do for a variety of reasons… (but) I could see how beneficial umpiring would be for them both.
“They both were quiet, going through significant change and dealing with some serious issues. I could see how umpiring would give them great tools to promote their own self-confidence and belief – and make some money!
“But Covid then happened and unfortunately lockdowns meant netball was cancelled for a long period of time. It was really difficult because suddenly we were disconnected and I couldn’t help them further - for the time being. So in essence these two girls really inspired me.’’
The result: an initial nine-week program that started in mid-July involves 16 girls in Year 9 and 10 and could have been filled twice over. The special guest at the week two session was former Diamonds’ great and Geelong native Madi Browne, who ran a “hustle and focus” wellbeing course.
“It was absolutely amazing,’’ says Sergeant Kylie Power of Geelong Uniform. “The girls just couldn’t believe that someone of that calibre was actually there for them, so they were on such a high that day.
“Then last week we went to Upstate Studios and did a boxfit class with Madi. The girls also couldn’t believe that she does 15 of those a week; they were just dying at the end of that one, and so were we!’’
Power’s own experience as a coach - and “a bit of a naughty 16-year-old” - has left her convinced that the 14-16 age bracket is not just the toughest crowd but also among the most vulnerable, as boundaries are pushed and risks often taken.
“So that was the age that we wanted to grab and give them something to keep them interested. We also want them to be thinking about their relationship with us as police when they’re out on a Saturday night and deciding whether or not to get in that car and go for a joyride or whether they go home with their friends.
“It’s about making good choices or good decisions with their life, and that’s what we’re trying to put through the rest of the content of the program with those wellbeing (aspects). It’s just to empower them.’’
Covid complications meant that Surf Coast Secondary selected the initial 16, with input from teachers. “They’re not the loud ones, they’re not the naughty ones; they’re the quiet achievers who just go about their business and it’s almost a reward for them to be part of it,’’ says Power.
“Next year we see it broadening across our police division, which stretches across the Bellarine and Geelong region, and the plan is to eventually go far and wide with it - across the state if we can.''
There is the flexibility for the wellbeing components to differ according to location, audience and need. Yoga classes in one area may be traded for mental health sessions in another. Instead of three hours each Wednesday afternoon, Girl in Charge might be run as an intensive five-day program or during school holidays, for example.
“The potential of it is so broad, it’s pretty exciting to think about where it might lead,’’ says Power. “We’ll run out the first one and then we’ll do a review with all our stakeholders and everyone who’s been involved, to see how we can improve it what it will look like next year, how we’ll roll it out to benefit more girls across the Barwon region.’’
Parent feedback so far has been immensely positive, and the Kylies have noticed that even the quietest girls are feeling comfortable enough to speak up. For Roberts, seeing the impact of Girl in Charge on another participant she had known previously has already vindicated the initiative inspired by those wannabe umpires in the pre-coronavirus days.
“She has really flourished,’’ says Roberts. “I recently saw her take charge of a group of kids she is now coaching at NetSetGO and her confidence in her own ability and the increase in her own self-belief is awesome. I can see she is injecting herself in conversations more, backing herself and really enjoying it.’’
Job done, in a sense. Job just starting, in another. Bravo, Kylies.
