Beyond the Boundary
The Resilience Project
The Resilience Project
The Geelong Cats, GMHBA and The Resilience Project share a strong partnership focused on proactively supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people across our region. Through evidence-based education, the program equips students with practical tools to build positive mental health and resilience using The Resilience Project’s GEM + EL principles — Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy.
The program is delivered in classrooms, staff rooms and the wider community, creating positive, meaningful conversations around wellbeing. As part of the partnership, Geelong Cats AFL and AFLW players visit participating schools, using GEM conversation cards to share personal insights and demonstrate how they apply these principles in their everyday lives as elite athletes.
With the proud support of GMHBA, the partnership continues to strengthen community connection, empower young people with lifelong wellbeing skills, and reinforce the importance of mental health education in shaping healthier, more resilient communities.
Read the Play
Read The Play
The Geelong Cats proudly support Read the Play, a Geelong-founded mental health program delivered across local junior football and netball communities. Embedded within community sport, the program supports young athletes to build greater understanding of mental health, develop confidence to seek help, and learn how to support their teammates.
The program is independently evaluated, with research demonstrating strong outcomes in improving mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours among young people.
The Geelong Cats’ partnership with Read the Play strengthens the program’s impact through in-kind support across fundraising events, Read the Play Club Membership, and the involvement of high-profile AFL and AFLW player ambassadors who help elevate awareness, reach and credibility.
Together, the partnership reinforces the role of community sport as a powerful platform for mental health education, normalising help-seeking and empowering young people to look after themselves and one another.
GMHBA Community Bay
GMHBA Community Bay
The GMHBA Community Bay provides not-for-profit organisations and community groups the chance to attend a Geelong Cats home game at GMHBA Stadium, in a designated seating bay, to recognise and celebrate their work within our region.
Alongside gifted tickets to the volunteers and members of these community groups, the quarter-time break becomes a spotlight moment, highlighting the contributions these people have on our community.
To learn more about the GMHBA Community Bay visit here or email community@geelongcats.com.au.
* GFC funded program
Deakin Cats Community Centre
Deakin Cats Community Centre
The Deakin Cats Community Centre is a purpose-built facility located in the Players Stand at GMHBA Stadium. The DCCC is a host to many community programs and is designed to be an accessible space for both internal initiatives, as well as external partners, with community engagement as a central focus.
Available free of charge to community groups that align with the criteria of promoting healthy lifestyles, community relations and education, the centre regularly hosts a variety of events, meetings, training sessions and more.
It is also the home of the Sensory Zone, Gartland Heritage Centre and the Graham Evans Archival Research Centre.
To enquire about the Deakin Cats Community Centre, please contact communitycentre@geelongcats.com.au.
BioCats
BioCATS
Delivered in partnership with BioLAB and proudly supported by Bisinella Developments, BioCATS is an exciting hands-on learning experience for Year 5 and 6 students, where sport and STEM come together in a full day program at GMHBA Stadium.
BioCATS brings classroom learning to life through real-world applications, giving students an opportunity to explore how science, technology, engineering and maths come together to enhance athletic performance. The program includes a behind-the-scenes experience at the stadium and also reinforces the concept of health and wellbeing.
To find out more visit here.
AFLW Sausage Sizzle
AFLW Sausage Sizzle
The AFLW Sausage Sizzle is a grassroots initiative bringing local football spirit to life, designed to support and empower female football programs across the Barwon region. Aligned with the AFLW home games, six local football clubs are selected each season to host a sausage sizzle at GMHBA Stadium. Everything is provided – all the equipment, ingredients and support – and every dollar raised goes straight back into the clubs’ female football programs helping them invest in new equipment, uniforms, support staff, and more.
Click here to see the impact this initiative had on the Armstrong Creek Sharks, allowing the club to purchase mouthguards for each player, replacing the hand-me-downs and makeshift alternatives.
To enquire about our AFLW Sausage Sizzle initiative, contact community@geelongcats.com.au.
* GFC funded program
Dulux Colour Your Club
Dulux Colour Your Club
The Cats and Dulux are united by a shared commitment to community connection. At the centre of the partnership is the Dulux Colour Your Club campaign, which helps revitalise grassroots clubs by donating up to 100L of Dulux Weathershield® or Dulux Wash&Wear® to protect and refresh club facilities.
Supported by AFL Barwon and AFL Western District, the campaign invites local football clubs to nominate for a painted makeover of their grounds and buildings.
* GFC funded program
Sensory Zone
Sensory Zone
Primarily housed at the Deakin Cats Community Centre on the ground floor of the Players Stand, the Sensory Zone features a dim, quiet room, away from the stadium atmosphere, with the inclusion of a smaller multi-sensory room. On event days, visitors can hire Sensory Bags containing noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, social cue cards, and more, free of charge from the Sensory Zone.
Geelong Cats and Kardinia Park Stadium Trust staff have completed relevant training to educate them on sensory sensitivity, equipping them with the knowledge to support those who may need it.
The Geelong Cats and Kardinia Park Stadium Trust have developed a social story, designed to increase the predictability of their visit to an unfamiliar environment. You can download the social story here.
To find out more about the Sensory Zone and accessibility on match days visit here.
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
We’re proud to share that the Geelong Football Club is a registered member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative alongside Kardinia Park Stadium Trust.
This initiative aligns with our club’s commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment on match days, in the workplace, and through our wider impact in the community.
Many people with a disability use or carry something – whether that’s a wheelchair, guide dog, hearing aid or white cane – that visibly indicates what the disability might be. But other disabilities, such as autism, dementia, mental health issues or learning difficulties, are not so obvious. Under the Hidden Disability Sunflower scheme, people with such disabilities can choose to wear a lanyard bearing a sunflower logo as a subtle way of letting others know that they may require additional support, assistance or a bit more time.
Our staff have been trained to identify the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, gain a deeper understanding of hidden disabilities and how to approach and support individuals with a hidden disability.
Find out more about the Sunflower visit here.
