The Greater Western Sydney GIANTS and Lend Lease have launched the Lend Lease GIANT Footprint – a community program to deliver a range of health, education and social benefits across NSW and the ACT.  
 
Working in partnership with AFL NSW/ACT, the Lend Lease GIANT Community Footprint will have a strong focus on Indigenous community programs and establish a co-partner network to promote Lend Lease’s Reconciliation Action Plan objectives.
 
The Lend Lease GIANT Community Footprint will also provide support for education and mentoring, training and skills development programs, career development and employment opportunities.
 
It was officially unveiled at LendLease’s Barangaroo South site by GIANTS chairman Tony Shepherd, Chief Executive David Matthews, Lend Lease Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Steve McCann and players including Israel Folau and Curtly Hampton.  Also in attendance were AIS/AFL Academy Head Coach Michael O'Loughlin and AFL NSW/ACT Manager of Planning & Development Joseph La Posta.
 
GIANTS Chief Executive David Matthews said that the club was delighted to partner with Lend Lease which shared the community focused values of the club and extended upon the work undertaken by the AFL and the GIANTS.
 
“Lend Lease has parallel aims as an organisation to the GIANTS, particularly in relation to their reconciliation action plan and work with indigenous communities. This is very much part of the AFL’s Indigenous agenda,” said Mr Matthews.
 
“A key focus of the Lend Lease GIANT Footprint community program is a commitment to Indigenous engagement and opportunities through the GIANTS Academy programs in Western Sydney, working with schools in the area and indigenous programs inregional parts of NSW including Wagga.
 
“Our engagement and commitment to Indigenous Australia as an industry and as a club is very much aligned to the outcomes that Lend Lease are trying to achieve.”
 
The club’s community partners also include the Australian Diabetes Council, Headspace, Westmead Medical Research Foundation, The Asthma Foundation and Catholic Care as well as the University of Western Sydney to deliver a life-learning centre for low SES youth in the region.
 
“We have selected these community partners as they have a specific emphasis on social issues in Western Sydney, particularly in the health sector. These partners allow us to give back to the community and assist in delivering a healthy message particularly to the youth of these regions,” said Mr Matthews.
 
The club has also committed 5,000 hours of appearances over the season to a range of stakeholders including our community football networks within the region.
 
Lend Lease Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Steve McCann said the company is proud to have another strong partner supporting its journey towards increasing representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the property sector.
 
“We are thrilled to partner with the GWS GIANTS who, like us, have established a strong community presence in Western Sydney. This partnership will aim to strengthen relationships with the community and help close the gap in health, education, and employment that currently exists between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians,” said Mr McCann.
 
“When we developed the RAP last year, we had a vision of how the property sector might look in another ten years with more indigenous architects, planners, urban designers and environmental engineers. The Lend Lease GIANT Footprint community program is helping this vision become a reality by offering real opportunities for indigenous Australians primarily in the areas of education and employment.”
 
Lend Lease is using its largest urban renewal project, Barangaroo South, to demonstrate how a workplace of choice for indigenous Australians can be achieved.
 
“We have established a Barangaroo Indigenous Participation Plan, with our RAP partners, to provide a framework for up to 500 skilling and employment opportunities for Indigenous people,” said Mr McCann.
 
The Lend Lease GIANT Footprint will bring significant benefit to the communities throughout NSW/ACT, particularly young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, by providing invaluable career pathways through education, training and employment opportunities.