PORT Adelaide and Centacare Catholic Family Services will continue to help put a stop to violence against women through targeted programs, having agreed to a three-year partnership extension.

Centacare has announced it will fund the Power to End Violence Against Women program until 2019, targeting male Year 10 students across the state.

This essential funding means more than 20 schools and close to 1500 students across South Australia will be exposed to the Power to End Violence Against Women program this year, with an aim to address the prevalence of domestic violence within our community.

"Without the funding we wouldn’t be able to have the same impact in the community, this gives us the opportunity to discuss the issue to a broader range of young people, ” Ross Wait, Senior Youth Programs Manager said.

Centacare Assistant Director Pauline Connelly said the unique program would combine skills and knowledge to help make a difference.

“Centacare sees first-hand the effect of violence on women and children and is inspired by the Port Adelaide Football Club, who create opportunities to utilise their profile and players to influence young men about respectful relationships,” Ms Connelly said.

“The partnership between Centacare and Port Adelaide is based on mutual respect, sharing, trust and commitment, like any other respectful relationship.

“We already see the fruits of this program and what happens when two very different organisations combine resources for a common cause.”

The need for this program comes after research on domestic violence revealed most young people have experienced or witnessed some form of domestic abuse by the time they reach their teenage years.

The Power to End Violence Against Women program will provide young people the opportunity to discuss the issue of violence against women and explore respectful relationships.

“It’s very encouraging to see the young people engaging so much and asking questions about the broader violence topic in society,” Wait said.

“Year 10 is an appropriate age to be discussing respectful relationships, as young men are starting to form relationships in their own lives, and realise how important is it to be interacting with those people in a respectful way.”

With the help of Port Adelaide Football Club ambassadors Travis Boak, Matthew White, Ollie Wines and former players Russell Ebert and Gavin Wanganeen, the Power to End Violence Against Women program provides the information and skills necessary to help young men make informed choices to prevent violent behaviours in society.

“We’re encouraging young people to be agents of change in the community,” Wait said.

“If they experience violence or domestic violence they will have the necessary tools to confront the issue and the program will empower them to make a change in the community.”

At the completion of the 2016 program, each participant will be invited to attend an ‘End Violence Against Women’ Event at the Port Adelaide Football Club with their fathers.

This event will involve participation from Port Adelaide representatives, including senior coach Ken Hinkley.

The campaign launched in 2015 with the help of both the South Australian State Government and Centacare Catholic Family Services.