Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS) alumni Kenita has showcased the importance of Richmond and its broader community in a stunning Indigenous Guernsey design worn last weekend.

MITS, which has classrooms based out of the Swinburne Centre, Punt Road Oval, supports young Indigenous people as they pursue away-from-home schooling in Melbourne.

MITS and the Korin Gamadji Institute on Level 3 of the Swinburne Centre have a focus on education and empowering youth like Kenita to make a positive impact in their community.

A series of lines and dots on the guernsey, worn as Richmond Junior Football Club’s inaugural Indigenous jumper design last week, depicts each student’s journey travelling from their homes around Australia to arrive in Richmond, the central circle of the design.

Kenita had assistance from the 2022 Year 7 MITS students, who are largely from remote Northern Territory, in putting together the main elements of the jumper.

The MITS students also formed a key part of Richmond’s annual Dreamtime celebrations, with the Club holding its annual Bunjil Awards lunch with the playing group, MITS students, and staff.

MITS students also had a taste of the action at Open Training the day before the marquee clash and on the game when they formed Richmond’s guard of honour.

Kenita is a recent Year 12 graduate, a testament to the fantastic Melbourne Indigenous Transition School program.

The Guernsey Design in Kenita’s Words:

The 2023 RJFC Indigenous Guernsey consists of two main design elements.

The sash running through the middle of the jumper represents two teams travelling from their respective land to meet at the football oval.

The series of circles are the players and their families travelling to the game. The journey is represented by the lines and dots, which all come together to meet in the middle, the football ground.

Richmond Junior Football Club is purposely kept close to the heart representing the love of the game and the local community. The football ground in the middle of guernsey is central to the design, and the dots and lines represent all the players, families, supporters, volunteers, and officials gathering as a community to watch the football game.

The second element of the guernsey is the circle placed to the side of the design. This circle represents one class of MITS children, with each of the 22 children depicted as a symbol within the border.

The lines and dots show each student’s journey travelling from their homes around Australia to arrive in Richmond, the central circle of the design.