The Aussie Athlete Fund has partnered with etrainu to provide education to athletes and their families and empower them financially in their sporting careers.
Founded by Natalie ‘Nat’ Cook OAM OLY, the Aussie Athlete Fund is an innovative model that seeks to support aspiring elite athletes. It aims to educate, empower, mentor, and foster confidence in athletes so they can raise funds for themselves and build their networks as they pursue their sporting dreams.
Focusing on all athletes who are striving to represent our nation and have a desire to raise our green and gold aspirations, the Aussie Athlete Fund’s purpose is to nurture, uplift, develop, and sustain athletes on their journey from emerging to the elite through education, community, and financial support.
Athletes, particularly young athletes, face financial barriers in their careers—often living on the poverty line to pursue their passions. Figures estimate that 46% of elite athletes live on $23,000 a year, beneath Australia's poverty line ($25,000).
Due to financial burdens, many talented Australian athletes are denied the opportunity to wear the green and gold simply because they cannot afford it. International travel, equipment, coaching, food, and accommodation are often out of reach,
Receiving funding is only one part of the puzzle: athletes must also understand how to gather resources and leverage networks, as well as acquire financial skills to manage the funding requirements to pursue a sporting career. Doing so will ensure they are able to financially sustain themselves throughout their careers and beyond.
Together with etrainu, Nat Cook OAM OLY and the Aussie Athlete Fund have crafted an online education platform to upskill, empower and infuse confidence in our athletes. The online training platform will deliver resources to athletes to demonstrate how they can effectively share their stories, have the courage to ask for support and build a fundraising roadmap to ensure they can continue to stay in the game.
Throughout the program, Nat draws on her experience as a five-time Olympian and her decades of having to raise funds for her team to highlight how athletes can overcome the hurdles they face. The educational resources blend video and text content as well as practical activities to provide athletes with informative and engaging learning experiences. By completing the training, athletes will discover how they can harness the power to not only follow their dreams but also understand how to create financial sustainability along the way.
“Aussie Athlete Fund is proud to partner with leading eLearning specialists, etrainu,” said Nat Cook OAM OLY, founder of Aussie Athlete Fund.
“For too long, our Aussie athletes have battled for every cent and still retire in debt. Together with etrainu, we aim to provide access to all our Aussie athletes with the financial education to ensure they are equipped with the skills, tools and confidence to create their own financial sustainability, along the sporting journey and beyond.
This partnership is a golden step towards creating a better pathway for our athletes, and together, we can change the game!”
With a mission to build communities through the power of education, etrainu was perfectly positioned to support the Aussie Athlete Fund and its vision.
“We are honoured to work with the Aussie Athlete Fund and deliver empowering education,” said Paul Hoon, CEO of etrainu. “We feel strongly that our athletes should be given every opportunity to succeed on a global stage, irrespective of their background. Through this partnership, we’re looking forward to seeing its impact on helping athletes raise the funds to break down barriers and compete at the highest level.”
Founded by Nat Cook OAM OLY, the Aussie Athlete Fund was created to foster a sustainable athlete economy. The Aussie Athlete Fund seeks to inspire the next generation of athletes to wear green and gold and provide them with the appropriate tools, support and education to manage their financial wellbeing.
Aussie Athlete Fund’s mission is to invite businesses, corporations, individuals, philanthropists, and everyday Australians to invest time, money, and resources in athletes pursuing their sporting dreams.
With various fundraising initiatives, such as the $1 Million Challenge, Aussie Legends Golf Classic, and Your Event, Your Way, the Aussie Athlete Fund provides aspiring elite athletes with the resources they need to afford new equipment, physiotherapy, proper nutrition, coaching, and travel/accommodation.
etrainu are leaders in community education solutions. Through a sophisticated learning management system and engaging online courses, etrainu is changing the way we learn. Founded in 2007, etrainu has grown to over two million learners benefitting from hundreds of industry-tailored courses.
etrainu has partnered with some of the largest sports organisations in the world, including Football Australia, US Youth Soccer (USYS), American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), PGA Tour, Hockey Australia, Gymnastics Australia, and Surf Life Saving Australia.
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