The Lend Lease partnership with AFL Club, Greater Western Sydney GIANTS was established in 2012 primarily to deliver a community support program named the Lend

Lease GIANTS Community Footprint. Amongst other activities, the program has a strong focus on providing learning, training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Sydney.

The partnership forms part of Lend Lease's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which aims to increase representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the property and infrastructure sector at all levels and across all job types. The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, AIME, Career Trackers, Yalari and Supply Nation are core partners working with Lend Lease on delivery of its RAP.

In 2013, the Lend Lease GIANTS Community Footprint will deliver ‘Career Futures’, a program tailored to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school students in Western Sydney to stay at school, complete year 12 and help them transition into vocational and tertiary education and the workforce.

The GWS GIANTS are committed to the communities in which we operate and this is a key part of our business. We have four objectives in relation to our community work:

1.    To educate communities about AFL and raise awareness of the GIANTS
2.    To develop a strong reputation as a good corporate and community citizen
3.    To grow our fan base
4.    To develop community assets

The GWS GIANTS will target our community work in the following areas:

PHILANTHROPY

The GENTLE GIANTS program will deliver 500 hours of hospital and aged care visits across our region with the aim to engage with the Sydney West Area Health Services, South West Sydney Local Health District and the ACT/South Coast.
The GIANTS will use home matches as opportunities to assist our partners raise revenue for their organisations.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The GIANTS will comply with important community standards and pursue deeper engagement across targeted projects with existing and new partners under four club banners:
Health – the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles to children
Harmony – multicultural and indigenous initiatives will be at the forefront of GIANTS commitment to inclusion
Education – partnerships will be formed with local schools and universities with UWS and the GIANTS establishing a Learning and Life Centre.
Employment – the GIANTS will endeavour to provide professional pathways in the sports sector
The GIANTS have forged strong partnerships with the following organisations to deliver its Corporate Social Responsibility agenda including the University of Western Sydney, Westmead Research Foundation, Australian Diabetes Council, Catholic Care Services, Headspace, Learn Earn Legend and AFL Sports Ready.

CREATING SHARED VALUE

The GWS GIANTS strong partnership with the AFL will form the basis upon which all other community partnerships are developed. In conjunction with the AFL, the GIANTS will focus on NAB AFL Auskick, community leagues, clubs, schools, volunteers ,umpires ,coaches, teachers and sports trainers. GIANTS players will spend 5000 hours in our regions promoting the club and the AFL.
In addition we will assist in identifying and nurturing the best talent through the UWS GIANTS participation in the NEAFL and the GIANTS Academy program. 200 young players will be part of this program.
The GIANTS will work in collaboration with the AFL to develop quality facilities to enhance the experience for all participants, volunteers and fans.  We will also invest in our people and develop a strong culture that will attract, retain, reward and develop high performing individuals and leaders for the club and broader industry.

DISASTER RELEIF

At its discretion the GWS GIANTS board will be mindful of circumstances in which our communities are negatively impacted. This may include the impact of natural disasters such as floods and fires.
The GIANTS are working with the AFL and will provide support to regional communities in NSW recently affected by the floods including towns such as Wagga Wagga, Griffith and Leeton.