Applications for the 2016 Indigenous Marathon Project Squad are now open.
The Indigenous Marathon Project (IMP) is an Australian health promotion charity. IMP has three main aims
- Use running as a vehicle to change lives
- Promote healthy and Active lifestyles throughout Indigenous communities nationally and reduce the incidence of chronic disease, substance abuse and suicide within Indigenous communities.
- To create Indigenous role models and inspire Indigenous people.
Every year we choose a squad of 12 young Indigenous Australians (6 men & 6 women) between the ages of 18 – 30 to attend a number of training camps throughout the year and study a cert III in Fitness. Depending on how they are tracking throughout the year in their training and their studies determines who makes the final squad to take on the biggest foot race on the planet – The New York Marathon.
Our applications for the 2016 squad are open and we are hoping to receive a record number of applications, just like we did this year. The Indigenous Marathon project is not a running program. It’s a social change program that uses running to show to young Indigenous Australians how incredible life changing achievements can be accomplished in a very short period of time through hard work and dedication. We are looking to recruit a squad of men and women who are passionate about being a role model for their community and assisting in spreading the benefits of living an active and healthy lifestyle.
Our squad members stay and train in their home communities throughout the year and come into camps 4 times for around 5 days each camp. All costs for the squad members are taken care of. To give you an indication this year’s squad had 2 people in it who had ever run in an event before. We took a squad of 10 to New York and all 10 completed the New York Marathon 25 weeks after they started running.
By completing such a feat our squad members return to community as local heroes who have achieved something incredible without having to move away from home. The community can relate to the person’s journey, struggle, effort and triumph because they have witnessed it for themselves right in front of them. It’s this effort and overcoming of adversity that proves to the rest of the community that you can achieve incredible things worldwide no matter where you live or what your circumstances are. Our squad members through the training and qualifications they receive throughout the year are then in a position to mentor other family and community members and assist them make healthier life choices to improve their circumstances.
Please find attached the information for the 2016 squad. I would greatly appreciate it if you could distribute this information to everyone and anyone. Applicants need to be 18 years old at the youngest or turning 30 next year at the oldest.
If you have any questions for concerns please do not hesitate to contact our office on 02 6162 4750.
Illawarra Interagency 