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Football Futures Foundation has been named Organisation of the Year at the WA Sport Awards, presented by SportWest — marking a powerful milestone for one of Western Australia’s fastest-growing social impact organisations.

In addition to being named Organisation of the Year, Football Futures Foundation was also recognised across multiple categories at the WA Sport Awards. Our Mini Ballers early-years inclusive program was selected as a finalist in the Hyundai Sport Initiative of the Year category, highlighting the impact of play-based football for young children with disability and mobility challenges.  

Our mentor coach Katelyn Smith was also named a finalist for WA Sport Star, recognising her leadership and her journey through inclusive football and representative pathways. These acknowledgements reinforce that inclusion is not a side initiative — it creates genuine opportunities, leadership development and clear pathways for participants to progress from grassroots participation through to State and National representation. 

From just over 100 participants in 2022 to more than 4,000 participants today, Football Futures Foundation has transformed from a small community initiative into a statewide movement using football as a vehicle for belonging, wellbeing and opportunity. 

At the heart of this growth is the Foundation’s groundbreaking 100% lived experience employment model. 

Every coach and frontline staff member brings lived experience that reflects the communities they serve — whether disability, multicultural background, First Nations identity or social disadvantage. Participants see themselves represented in leadership. They see possibility. They see someone who understands. 

And that representation is changing the game. 

Our 4 Key Pillars

Football Futures Foundation delivers inclusive programs across key pillars including: 

  • Football for people with disability
    disability and para football pathways through early-years play-based initiatives, club-based all abilities leagues, education support and language development centre programs, leadership and employment pathway
  • Football for multicultural communities
    multicultural settlement programs for newly arrived families, migrants and refugee
  • Football for people at risk of social exclusion
    culturally safe spaces for women and girls from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, supporting at-risk youth to step away from crime and disengagement and step into leadership, learning and strong community belonging 
  • Football for First Nations communities
    culturally safe spaces, youth leadership and employment pathways for women and girls from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

These programs are currently delivered across Perth metro, Broome, Karratha, Vasse/Busselton and Port Hedland, with strong demand to expand further into regional and remote communities where access to inclusive sport remains limited. 

The Foundation works alongside clubs, schools and community partners to embed inclusion within mainstream football structures — ensuring participants don’t just access sport, but belong within it. 

A Call to Build the Future Together 

With demand growing across Western Australia, Football Futures Foundation is now seeking strategic partnerships and investment support to scale its award-winning programs into communities that are too often left out of traditional sporting pathways. 

Investment in Football Futures is an investment in: 

  • Community health, wellbeing and preventative mental health outcomes, driving measurable social impact across diverse populations
  • Youth employment, leadership development and workforce inclusion, creating meaningful career pathways through our 100% lived experience employment model
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) outcomes, strengthening multicultural engagement and advancing First Nations participation and representation in sport
  • Disability access, high-performance pathways and equitable representation, from grassroots participation through to State and National representative opportunities. 
  • Stronger social cohesion and community connection, delivering sustainable, place-based programs that build belonging in metro, regional and remote communities
  • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) alignment, supporting organisations to demonstrate authentic community investment, long-term impact and shared value creation. 

“This award belongs to our coaches, volunteers and the communities we serve,” said the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Kerr. “But it also signals what’s possible when sport is built around people first. We are ready to expand — and we’re looking for partners who believe that every person deserves a place in the game.”  

 

For partnership enquiries or to learn more about bringing Football Futures programs to your community, please contact: 

Saskia Tjahja
People, Culture & Communications Manager
saskiat@footballfutures.org.au | 0433 830 325 

Watch our stories: https://www.youtube.com/@footballfuturesfoundation