Mike is a Director of TeamSports4All and comes from an engineering background. He co-founded a Melbourne tech startup that became a global leader in managing environmental impact. It was acquired by a London listed conglomerate so then his focus moved onto mentoring early-stage businesses and community service work focused on youth disadvantage.
Mike joined the TS4A team in 2017 to help drive its scale up from supporting around 50 kids then to helping over 1,000 kids today.
TeamSports4All and Canterbury Rotary
TeamSports4All helps kids from disadvantaged backgrounds break the cycle of social isolation by engaging them in community team sports.
These kids come from the poorest and most marginalised parts of our society and are more likely to have:
- worse physical and metal health
- lower educational and employment outcomes
- higher rates of drug and alcohol issues
- higher participation in the criminal justice system
Team sport connects these kids into a healthy tribe with teamwork, role models and goals helping them to engage into their communities and overcome these disadvantages.
From humble beginning in Bayside in 2011, TS4A has embarked on a major scale up, now supporting over 1,000 kids across the Melbourne metro area. Our plans will see the organisation continue to expand across Melbourne metro then into regional Victoria and ultimately across the country.
A key enabler of the expansion success has been partnerships with local Rotary Clubs. Not just in helping us secure funding but through leveraging Rotary’s extensive local knowledge and connections. Rotary has been incredibly helpful in connecting TS4A with local government, businesses, potential sponsors and sporting clubs. Many Rotary members are also active TS4A volunteers.
TS4A is thrilled that the Rotary Club of Canterbury has chosen to support our work and we’re excited to be working together to help at risk kids