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AFL Cape York House Foundation has gratefully accepted a generous donation of $10,000 from SKS Indigenous Technologies.
This contribution will support the organisation’s mission of providing a ‘home away from home’ for young First Nations students while studying in Cairns, far from their families and communities.
The donation will enable AFL Cape York House boarding programs to create opportunities for young people by improving social and emotional wellbeing, educational and employment outcomes.
SKS Indigenous Technologies Director Chris Johnson said supporting AFL Cape York House is a cause close to his heart as a First Nations man.
“I’ve been involved in AFL Cape York Foundation for over 16 years now and I sit on the board,” he said.
“Through SKS Indigenous Technologies we like to give back to the community, and I love what they do here at AFL Cape York House, supporting kids in their education at the boys’ and girls’ houses.
“Through my long-term partnership with them I’ve met a lot of the kids and I see what they’ve been able to achieve after graduation, taking their education back home or moving on elsewhere and getting good jobs.”
Mr Johnson, for whom the annual AFL Chris Johnson Cup is named, believes in education and a supportive environment as pathways to success for young First Nations students.
With offices in every major city, SKS Indigenous Technologies provides employment and training opportunities for First Nations candidates and makes an annual trip to Cairns to introduce employees to AFL Cape York House and the work they do.
AFL Cape York House – Boys Boarding Manager Kane Richter said he and the AFL Cape York House team are grateful for the generous donation.
“Chris Johnson has been a friend of our organisation for a number of years, and we named the Chris Johnson Cup after him, which he always travels up for,” he said.
“This donation from SKS Indigenous Technologies and from Chris is massive – it will go a long way in supporting what we do here at AFL Cape York House with our young people.”
Mr Richter said the boarding environment can be challenging at times for the students, who are far away from their own families and from community.
“Support such as this from SKS Indigenous Technologies helps us to engage the young people in sport, education opportunities, and life experiences as well as wellbeing support,” he said.
“For our boarding houses, it’s not about the young people coming in and fitting into our place – it’s about us fitting their world, and supporting them, and it’s donations like this that are crucial to our boarding environments continuing to do that.”
AFL Cape York House Foundation is deeply grateful for SKS Indigenous Technologies’ commitment to empowering young First Nations people and investing in their futures. This funding will have a lasting positive impact on the lives of these students as they navigate their schooling and living experience in Cairns.