A regional Queensland hockey club has today joined a global movement recognising the power of sport to support refugees and strengthen communities.
At a World Refugee Week celebration today, Toowoomba Hockey Association announced it has become a signatory to the Global Refugee Forum Multi-Stakeholder Pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection through joining the Sport for Refugees Coalition, joining an international network of organisations working to improve the lives of displaced people through sport.
The announcement comes as the Association celebrates a major investment in the future of its award-winning Belong in Hockey program, with $95,000 in funding secured through the Queensland Government's Strengthening Multicultural Communities program.
Together, the global commitment and new funding mark a significant milestone for a locally-led initiative that has become a powerful example of how community sport can foster belonging, confidence, well-being and connection for refugees and other communities at risk of exclusion.
Since launching in partnership with Multicultural Australia in 2023, Belong in Hockey has welcomed 140 refugees through the doors of Toowoomba Hockey to try the sport. More than 50 participants have gone on to play in social competitions, 20 have begun playing with local hockey clubs. More than 30 volunteers have supported the initiative over the past 3 years by coaching, providing transport, and helping participants build English language confidence and social connection.
Belong in Hockey was established to support refugee participants to raise self-esteem and peer respect, improve attitudes and integration, and introduce positive role models for refugees in Toowoomba community. Over time, the program has shown how sport can play a powerful role in trauma recovery, social cohesion and inclusion.
Toowoomba Hockey Manager Jessie McCartney said the milestone demonstrated how local community initiatives can have impact far beyond their own region;
“We are incredibly proud that a program built here in Toowoomba is being recognised both by the Queensland Government and through a global movement focused on inclusion and protection. Belong in Hockey has been powered by partnerships, volunteers and the courage of participants who have embraced hockey as a way to connect, rebuild confidence and create new opportunities.”
The Global Refugee Forum pledge recognises sport as a powerful tool for inclusion, protection, wellbeing and social participation. Signatories commit to creating safe and welcoming environments for refugees and displaced people, strengthening partnerships, building evidence of impact and expanding opportunities for participation.
Through the Sport for Refugees Coalition, Toowoomba Hockey will be part of a global network of organisations committed to improving the lives of displaced people through sport.
The additional Queensland Government funding will help ensure Belong in Hockey continues to grow, creating more opportunities for people from refugee backgrounds to participate in community sport and build a sense of belonging.
The $95,000 State Government investment from the Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism will support the continued growth and sustainability of Belong in Hockey and strengthen Toowoomba Hockey’s capacity to deliver inclusive participation opportunities into the future.
The program has attracted increasing attention for its impact, including national coverage on SBS World News and ABC News Breakfast, and is increasingly being recognised as a model for how local sporting organisations can contribute to stronger, more inclusive communities.
Welcoming Australia CEO Aleem Ali said the program demonstrated what is possible when sport, community organisations and local leaders work together around a shared vision:
“Belong in Hockey demonstrates the power of sport to create real opportunities for inclusion and belonging. It is in the simple act of showing up, playing together and building relationships over time that people begin to feel part of something larger. But that doesn’t happen by accident. It requires clubs to do the deliberate, unglamorous work of becoming genuinely inclusive, and Toowoomba Hockey has shown exactly how that is done.”
As communities across Australia continue to explore practical ways to strengthen social cohesion, Toowoomba Hockey's growing international recognition offers a powerful reminder that some of the most innovative solutions begin at the local level.
Contact details:
Jessie McCartney
Hockey Manager, Toowoomba Hockey Association
[email protected]
0422 792 488
