Talisha Buckskin is a 19 year old Indigenous FLO student from Central Yorke School. Tahlia is from Point Pearce Community and is a family orientated student who has faced many challenges living in a rural community.
ADFA Testing
Talisha sat her Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) testing last year and made it through to the Navy Indigenous Development Program in Cairns.
Unfortunately, although Talisha completed her six-weeks training she did not make it through to the next stage due to fitness concerns. Despite this, Talsiha loved her time in Cairns and made many lifelong friends.
Keeping On, Keeping On
But Talisha didn’t give up.
With assistance and support from Whitelion she continued to work towards her goals and two weeks ago she received a call from the Army Indigenous Development Program enquiring on her fitness and willingness to join the Program in the Northern Territory for six months.
Was she still keen to give it a go?
Of course she was, and last Monday Talisha got the call from the Army nurse who said she had been accepted into the program! and someone from the Army would call her to inform her of the details.
Talisha called me as her case manager to relay the exciting news. She said she could not stop smiling but had better get off the phone and call her Mum and Dad!
The whirlwind of news continued with Talisha receiving a call from the Army Indigenous Program Officer congratulating her on being accepted and informing her she was leaving for Darwin on Thursday!
The Program
The ADFA Program is residential and designed to assist applicants in achieving the prerequisite requirements to enter the Army as a recruit. The process will introduce her to the Army culture, improve her academic foundations, and provide her with the skills, knowledge, attitude and confidence to be an effective soldier. Talisha’s accommodation, meals and all medical are funded by the Army and she will also receive an Army income throughout this time.
Within three days of finding out Talisha had left her hometown and family and headed to Darwin for the opportunity of a lifetime. Nervous but excited, Talisha knew she had support behind her to assist her with achieving this big step.
I am so very proud of this young lady and what she is about to embark on and achieve. She is a real inspiration to not only her own community and culture but showing all young people that perseverance and courage can lead you to great opportunities.