The second Beach Energy Aboriginal Youth Leadership and Governance Program is being held at AAMI Stadium this week.
The camp will see up to 30 students travel down from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara (APY) Lands to participate in activities including sports, mentoring, leisure and education sessions.
The students will each be assigned a mentor, who will continue to support them in completing their high school education and help them seek out opportunities after they have completed Year 12.
Aimed at year 10-12 students, the program will assist graduates in developing important leadership and governance skills that will allow them to take on leadership roles within their own communities.
Program Manager and dual-Crows premiership player, Andrew McLeod, works closely with all of the participants. McLeod is hopeful the four-day camp will give the kids the confidence and drive to finish school and pursue all opportunities thereafter.
“The Beach Energy Aboriginal Youth Leadership and Governance Program will create a healthy and secure environment where young people can develop, be nurtured, learn and grow as individuals in a program that is unrivalled in Australia,” he said.
Two participants of the first camp who will attend again this year are Kupa Henry-Whiskey, 16, and Mathew Henry-Whiskey, 15.
The brothers, who were standouts at the 2012 camp, will now receive a sponsorship package from Crows partner Westminster School. Both boys will be provided with outstanding learning resources and opportunities while boarding at Westminster for the next three years – something McLeod is extremely proud of.
“These two guys are fantastic young people,” he said.
“They are committed to their studies and committed to put in 100 per cent in all exercises. Westminster has given them a fantastic opportunity.”
Westminster School Principal Steve Bousfield said: “Westminster is proud of its long history working with indigenous students to provide a range of opportunities that create pathways towards employment and higher education.
“Like the AFC, we are determined to ‘make a difference’ as a supporting partner in this indigenous program by providing valuable learning and life skills to young indigenous people in the APY Lands.”
Beach Energy and the Australian Federal Government are joint-major partners of the program. Beach’s Chief Operating Officer Neil Gibbins has high hopes for the second camp.
“Teachers and elders both agreed that the first Beach Energy Aboriginal Youth Leadership Program camp was very successful in bringing out the best in the young people who participated and we expect this camp to be every bit as successful,” he said.
“Beach is proud to support the AFC and Andrew McLeod in delivering a program which has proven to be a motivating mix of sport, learning and fun, building character, encouraging hard work and establishing a firm foundation for the transition of the young people involved into adulthood.”
