SHARKS AT KAREELA SHOWS SOME

Despite the downturn in trade due to the challenges of the COVID pandemic, the Sharks, through their new licensed facility Sharks at Kareela, have continued their support of the Sutherland Shire Family Services (SSFS) Love Bites program.

As a part the annual Club Grants, Sharks at Kareela have donated $5,000 to the program which delivers respectful relationship education in local Sutherland Shire High Schools.

A partnership with the Sharks which began in March 2019, Love Bites was developed by NAPCAN (National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect), and fits comfortably within the Sharks Have Heart social impact pillar.

Since its inception in 2011, Love Bites has reached over 10,000 Shire high school students, delivering important messages about consent and healthy relationships.

The program has no ongoing Government funding and relies on community partnerships, and as a result of the Sharks Have Heart support through Sharks at Kareela and Club Grants, numerous Shire High Schools will continue to have access to the program in the coming year.

Love Bites is explained in simple terms by SSFS CEO Ashleigh Daines;

“Love Bites works to deconstruct the myths that exist in the local community about domestic violence and sexual assault. The program provides important messaging and education that is essential to helping young people grow and have respectful relationships,” she said.

Sharks at Kareela General Manager Elie Bassil was pleased to be continuing the Sharks support of this extremely significant program.

“Love Bites and Sutherland Shire Family Services do some outstanding work in the community working with families, women and young people, and in this instance, specifically with high school students delivering important life skills and we are thrilled to be able to continue our support through the Club Grants program,” Bassil said.

Love Bites received ‘Highly Commended’ recognition at the 2019 ClubsNSW, Club & Community Awards in the Education category.

Sutherland Shire Family Services operates a range of parenting and family programs from their head office at Jannali (which is in close proximity to the Sharks at Kareela club) and Youth programs from their Youth Centre, Engadine District Youth Club (EDYS), based at Engadine.

For more on Love Bites, go to the NAPCAN website – CLICK HERE

To learn more about Sutherland Shire Family Services and the work they do – CLICK HERE

Lead photo – George Nour from Sharks Have Heart, Amber Schacht and Ashleigh Daines Love Bites and Elie Bassil, General Manager of Sharks at Kareela