South Australian high school students to learn essential skills from Adelaide 36ers

The Adelaide 36ers, an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League and the only team in the league representing South Australia, are teaming up for a new SACE program teaching lifelong skills to South Australian high school students.

Students will learn essential skills from an elite sporting organisation – and score credits towards their SACE – through a unique new program using online, in-classroom and outdoor activities.

The Adelaide 36ers will help deliver the Australian-first initiative – a SACE-accredited course based around basketball to build resilience, wellbeing and leadership in young people.

The South Australian Government is investing more than $100,000 to establish the innovative program – a joint partnership between the Adelaide 36ers and leading sports mentoring company XVenture, and backed by Flinders University.

The funding allows up to 20 schools and 1000 students to get involved in the program this year, providing an opportunity to develop skills for long-term success beyond the classroom. 

It offers students a mix of immersive classroom and online-based learning via the Adelaide 36ers and XVenture ‘Virtual Campus’ platform, which teachers can access for an all-in-one resource hub with lesson plans, videos and development tools.

Hands-on outdoor sessions are also part of the fully integrated course, as well as rare insights into sports marketing and media, athletes’ health and nutrition.

The lessons are aimed at year 10 students, with participants earning 10 SACE credits and a Certificate in Emotional Agility, Resilience and Leadership.

The 60-hour course – based on a successful high school program in NSW – is designed to be held across two terms, but its flexibility allows schools to begin the program at any point in the school year.

The Government’s support also includes a research project into the program’s impact and benefits on student learning.

XVenture – whose founder, Professor Mike Conway, is the mindset performance coach for the Adelaide 36ers and national men’s soccer team The Socceroos – will train teachers to implement the program.

Schools can register their interest and learn more at adelaide36ers.com/pages/schools-program

Image.Credit: Adelaide 36ers