In 2022, Cairns Hockey – Aspire to be Deadly will be delivering a community partnership across Torres Strait Islands that has been advancing and supporting the Live Well Learn Well Lead Well Program for over 7 years.

Wes Ferns, Aspire Regional Programs Manager drives and collaborates with local community and schools to deliver this 10week program and has worked hard to recover from the COVID19 challenges to confirm this annual event held on Horn Island each May.

The 10week program begins with a strengthening of the collaboration with Tagai State College, coordination with local calendars and local schools to confirm the program schedule and is supported with a 10 visit from Wes Ferns and Sawadu Tabuai to the Torres Strait Island communities for refresher and engagement sessions with schools and teachers followed by participation sessions with students and some upskilling to advance team strategies, preparation plans for Migi and training schedules.

Aspire to be Deadly Journal is available for students to build a Live Well Learn Well Lead Well culture through the program and whole of community coordination culminates in Migi Kokan Carnival in May 2022 when schools travel to Horn Island to complete and join together to discuss issues like domestic and family violence awareness and support, healthy habits and the importance of attending school and a safe learning space.

In 2022 Cairns West State School Aspire Culture and Leaders Program travels to Migi Kokan and those young students at Cairns West with cultural and family links to the Torres Strait travel to Migi Kokan and spent days at Tagai State College schools sharing stories and learning about Torres Strait Island culture while tutoring the local students more about the fame of hockey. This program started in 2021 and was so successful, it was incorporated into this program permanently.

In 2022, Sawadu Tabuai Aspire Development Officer whose family live on Saibai Island returns to Migi in 2022 and increases her leadership role and role modeling within the Live Well Learn Well Lead Well Program.

A Torres Strait Island Squad is named from this event to attend the Deadly 5’s program in Cairns on June 2022.

Schedule 2022

• March 14^th – 23^rd – Wes and Sawadu from Aspire to be Deadly delivering School clinics, skill refresher and Migi event planning – Torres St Island and NPA

• May – week of the 23^rd May 2022 to be confirmed – MIGI KOKAN Hockey with Aspire Cairns West School Leaders Squad participating and supporting Live Well Learn Well Lead Well

For more information, contact Wes Ferns on wes.ferns@aspirecairnshockey.com.au