Our Best Day Ever was our team theme for this years ADF / Starwin Indigenous girls leadership program. Eleven young Tiwi women and two Tiwi leaders headed to Adelaide from 10-14 October to take part.
The young women represented themselves, their families, school, football clubs and community with distinction.
Day One saw us visit RAAF Base Edinburgh and get an insight into some of the Air Force career options and had a training session on base. We also visited KIK cafe, a social enteprise cafe started as a solution to youth unemployment. That evening the girls connected through some team building exercises with their mentors.
Day Two they were fortunate to visit Port Adelaide FC and get an insight into club operations, facilties and career pathways. They also visited the academy site to gain an understanding of the opportunity to become part of that. They were treated to a training session led by Aliparte Carlisle (former player) and then a beach session for recovery.
Day Three we took part in the Around the Campfire Cup, where they excelled, in the first game defeated Pinktails (from Central Aus) who were the back to back winners and previously undefeated. They did not get scored against the rest of the event, so shows our strength in starting well. We went on to the GF undefeated and just went down by 3 points to a SANFL womens premier league side (who had played one less game then us). Jessica Stassi was awarded the Maggie Varcoe (RIP) medal for best afield for the entire day. We even had the Chairman of ADF footy jumping up and down and so excited, cheering for us, Tiwi style!
The cultural elements of the trip, the team bonding with mentors and their ability to connect as peers was really taken to a new level this trip. Even simple things like navigating airports, time management, eating healthy, self care are all life skills they are developing. But we were especially impressed when they performed a dance at the opening ceremony, representing country and taking a stance by linking up to saying NO More to family violence!
There are some wonderful photos we have shared on our Starwin Social Enterprise facebook page & instagram and we really encourage you to chat to the young women and encourage them to share their experiences. facebook.com/
The ADF and Starwin are both committed to assisting with future career pathways and if anyone from this years or any previous years programs expresses an interest in an ADF career or AFLW one or taking up the offer to relocate for schooling and joining the Port Power Academy, we are set to make it happen.
We of course cannot do it without your support and special thanks to Fitzroy Rotary Club, ADF, Sealink for their monetary sponsorship and to the many others who assisted in kind.
And thank you to all of our customers at Starwin Shopfront & Starwin Mangement clients for your support and your role in helping us to create community change.
