Game Changers

'Jamin was born in Leongatha in 1990. He grew up seeing how the local footy club was the social glue for the community and connected with all age groups. He attended Leongatha Secondary College and gravitated to leadership positions.

When he was 16 he wanted to play footy at AFL level or work in the fitness industry. At a young age he started training with the seniors which was confronting and challenging. He realized how racist, homophobic and politically incorrect was the behaviour of players and noticed that this culture and one of heavy drinking dominated the club and infected the community.

Two years later he went to a YMCA camp and to RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award).  This gave him exposure to new ideas and the opportunity to appreciate diversity and the breadth of civil society and the problems and challenges facing people across the world and across ethnic and social divides. He found it was difficult to get others to understand there was something wrong with the local culture and found it hard to get young sportsman engaged on the topic. He decided to set up a leadership program for young leaders from footy clubs across the region and formed Captain’s Club. He visited 56 boards of footy clubs and got 56 boards of footy clubs and got them to nominate attendees for the camps.  By getting these sporting leaders on-board he hopes will ultimately inculcate the broader community'.

Chair:  Chris Hanson