Ladder is the official charity of the AFL Players' Association (AFLPA) and their continued support, alongside the AFL and AFLW community, is the lifeblood that keeps Ladder going year on year. 

AFL and AFLW players and staff bring unique perspectives and experiences that really resonate with young people in our programs. Tam, Jenna, Jess and Nathan from the AFLPA spent the day with Step Up Latrobe Valley program participants recently and provided invaluable warmth, guidance and mentorship to the program participants.

The day primarily revolved around expressions of gratitude, with the AFLPA engaging in several enjoyable activities with the participants, such as a gratitude walk. As part of Harmony Week, the group connected and shared banter over a lunch that they prepared with each other.

The AFLPA hosted a Q&A session which was a great opportunity to hear about how they came into their roles and for our young people to ask questions and learn about career pathways. It was a great motivator for the group and through the AFLPA’s stories, it helped our young people understand that sometimes life doesn’t work out how we planned but we pivot and can still achieve greater things. The AFLPA provided additional support and helped our young people write their resumes and cover letters. 

A big thank you to the AFLPA for spending the day with our Ladder program participants and for sharing their knowledge and expertise with the group.

“It’s nice that they (AFLPA staff) took some time out of their day to come spend their time and knowledge with us, makes us feel worth it – Eamon, Ladder program participant

“Knowing that they support us financially and that they didn’t have to volunteer and drive all the way to spend time with us in program today, that’s a pretty cool effort by them!” – Jack, Ladder program participant