This year’s theme, Stronger Together: Connecting and Belonging through Sports, brought together a panel of community leaders to discuss how sport can be a powerful tool in addressing one of the modern day’s most pressing social challenges in loneliness.
The panel featured four speakers in WA All Abilities Football Association Executive Manager Hayden Marchetto, RUAH Community Service Executive Manager Elsie Blay, WA Council of Social Service Director of Policy Chris Twomey, and the Club’s very own Education Manager Mel Toia.
Each speaker shared insights shaped by experiences within their professional field, offering unique perspectives on how sport fosters connection and belonging across generations.
The SDG forum concluded with a Q&A session, giving over 80 attendees the opportunity to engage directly with the panel and spark deep conversations around the topic.
UNAA National Board Director and SDG Forum Chair Dr. Sandy Chong reflected on the success and impact of another SDG event at Eagles HQ.
“The 2025 SDG Forum was one of our most successful events — it showed that when sport, policy, and community come together, we can create real pathways out of loneliness and into belonging,” she said.
“Our partnership with the West Coast Eagles has shown that sport is more than a game — it’s a platform to bring people together, to inspire action, and to highlight the issues that matter most to our community.
“Connection is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline. By spotlighting this theme, we hoped to remind people that building belonging across generations is not just good for individuals — it’s essential for a healthier, happier society.”
Having hosted the annual SDG forum for five years, the Club and UNAA have together explored a range of important social topics and driven awareness across the wider community.
Themes of inclusion in sport, First Nations people and culture, and the impact of sport on youth wellbeing, are more than just examples of annual discussion points, they represent an ongoing commitment to fostering positive change through football.
West Coast Eagles Education Manager Mel Toia reflected on this year’s theme and the opportunity to highlight the work the Club is already doing within the community.
“The opportunity to connect with likeminded professionals at the recent UN event was both affirming and motivating,” she said.
“To hear from others that are just as passionate as I am about developing personal connection across generations was extremely validating for the work we are doing in this space."
