“My dream is to build a dance comp or a basketball comp to help kids develop skills and build their confidence in these areas and to express themselves freely. At one point I felt like giving up on my dreams.” Tinesha Sampi, Wirrapa Foundation student who recently stayed at the NCIE.
Tinesha Sampi was one of 29 students who participated in our Exceller8! program who felt inspired to write about her experience after meeting the founders of Redfern based Totem Skateboarding.
Every month the NCIE welcomes visitors from across Australia who stay with us, learn with us and grow with us. Recently 29 young Indigenous women from WA made the journey to the east coast with the Wirrapanda Foundation for a taste of city life in Redfern, Sydney.
Their once in a lifetime opportunity is enabled by our Exceller8! Program; a partnership between the NCIE, National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA) and Shell Australia, with technology provider Samsung.
The program provides young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders the tools to build self-confidence and develop lifelong learning skills.
After students settle into their rooms at the NCIE they kick off their week with the NASCA team, who take them through a range of activities to give them new skills and inspire them to think about their career pathways after school.
After hearing Totem Skateboarding’s Nigel and Davidtell their stories Tinesha Sampi renewed her passion to achieve her dream. “These words made me realise that if I work hard and believe in myself, that my dreams will come true.” You can read her experience here.
The sharing of experiences and knowledge continued through to the end of the week with a My Journey panel organised by the NCIE.
The group heard from Redfern local, Aunty Dixie Gordon about the importance of community and culture and they met retired Australian professional rugby league footballer, Nathan Merritt.