Co-club champion Simon Black, Brownlow Medallist Jason Akermanis, gun young forward Jonathan Brown, premiership ruckman Beau McDonald, and rugged youngster Aaron Shattock are the five Lions who have undertaken intensive training over recent months to deliver the A3 program in schools.
“This program involves working with the same group of kids for two to three months, so you build up a rapport with the kids,” Black told the gathering.
“We’ll seek out young people in the Year 11 to 12 group who might suffer from depression or might be at risk. Once identified we’ll find out why and try and go about rectifying it.”
Black was quick to emphasise that all students involved in the A3 program would benefit from it.
While the players will be working with students on projects such as revegetating schoolyards, building a new structure, or running an anti-bullying course, they will be useful learning tools for all concerned.
“We’ll be dealing with issues, conflict resolution, anger management, and particularly actions and consequences," Black said. “It’s important to get the right message to them at a young age.”