Indigenous Youth Leadership Program successfully completes Kokoda Track journey

Key sponsor Huawei congratulates participants at Melbourne event

Melbourne, Australia, 21st September 2010: Huawei Australia has offered its congratulations to 21 young Australians who have successfully completed a journey along the Kokoda Track as part of the Jobs Australia Foundation’s Indigenous Youth Leadership Program. Huawei acted as a key sponsor of the program, which saw seven mentors and thirteen ‘mentees’ trek the Kokoda Track with Olympic hurdler and program patron Kyle Vander Kuyp, and foundation Director and CEO of econciliation Australia, Leah Armstong.

The Indigenous Youth Leadership Program included a three-day pre-trek leadership training program in May, the 10-day trek of the Kokoda Trail in early August, and finally a three-day post-trek leadership training program which concluded with celebrations in Melbourne’s Albert Park on Sunday. The program is not just about the Kokoda Track, but about physical and mental preparation, and developing leadership skills. The track provided the opportunity for participants to practice new leadership skills, while the post-trek program provided the opportunity to unpack and reflect on what participants learnt, what they plan to do in terms of leadership, and how they will lead and make a difference in the future.

Huawei Australia CTO Peter Rossi was present in Melbourne to hand out certificates to the participants in the program. “These young Australians have accomplished an amazing feat by completing the Kokoda Track, an important part of Australia’s history,” Rossi said. “Huawei Australia is truly pleased to have been able to help the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program achieve such successful results.”

David Thompson AM, Chair of the Jobs Australia Foundation, said: “We can all be truly proud of the achievements of all the people who completed the trek, and look forward to walking along-side them as they grow and develop their leadership skills. The Foundation thanks Huawei and supporters and looks forward to a continuing association with the company.”

Feedback from trek participants included:

“For me, the journey isn’t over. It has only just begun. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for this opportunity and what this journey has done for me in regards to my confidence and self-belief. As for my future, I’m unsure what it holds but I do know now that it’s bigger and brighter because of this journey.”

- Jared Hutchison, Queensland

“I have never felt so much positive change in myself in such a short amount of time. I feel like a brand new person with so much more to offer. I don't exactly know how, but walking the Kokoda Trail has changed my life.

- Rhett Burraston, New South Wales

Other sponsors included the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the South Australian Aboriginal Sports & Training Academy, the South Australian Government National Chief Executive Group on Aboriginal Affairs, and Azure from Western Australia.