Through a brainstorming session involving Victoria Police and the Carlton Football Club, the Nick Duigan High Rise Program was born. 

Created specifically for Carlton Primary School Students, Duigan says the program aims at minimising high-risk behaviour from young people in the local area. 

"One strategy that the partnership came up with, was to provide the students with sporting activities to keep them involved in the community."

"It was primarily to keep them (the students) occupied and to get them to do something more constructive with their time. It was (also) just mainly to have fun, to hang out and kick the footy around."

Currently in its second year, Duigan says that the program is continually evolving. 

"We are planing on growing the program a lot. We would like to introduce mentoring. We are also trying to engage the whole school community, rather than just targeting age specific groups."

Duigan says the reaction from the students has been fantastic. 

"The kids are full of energy. They love it. They are always up for playing and having fun.

The AFL playing an active role in the wider community is essential says Duigan.

"They have a huge number of resources at their disposal. They also provide great opportunities for exposure, like Multicultural Round."

"That exposure can really bring light to an area in the community that needs more attention and I think that Carlton's trying to play it's part."

Duigan says that individual Clubs also have a responsibility to remain active in their local areas.

"I think it would be great if all the Clubs around the country were able to do a similar sort of thing. And then all of a sudden the impact that we are having on the community is a whole lot greater."

Not only is Carlton Primary School in the heartland of the Blues community, it's also at the foot of commission flats, which regularly house newly arrived refugees. 

"I suppose a part of what we are trying to do as well, it to help assimilate that group and help them feel welcome to the community. If we can extend out a hand and hopefully get them engaged and provide some education about what it's like to be Australian, then hopefully it will enable them to feel more comfortable in the community, and then grow from there."

Carlton's Multicultural Partnership Coordinator, Ned Murphy, says that Duigan understands the Club's responsibility when it comes to engaging the local community. 

"Obviously with Carlton's public housing estates being right on our doorstep, we are constantly looking for new ways to innovate support to the local communities and Nick's been a massive part of that."

"Nick's obviously passionate about working with young people. He is fantastic with the kids at Carlton Primary School. They don't see Nick as a footballer, they see him as a fantastic role mode. That's the reason why they love spending time with him."