Malu French from Moree, the youngest of four children, attended the 2019 Oorala Senior Boys Leadership Camp.
A proud young Kamilaroi man, Malu, encouraged by his school’s Aboriginal Education Officer, applied to participate in the three-day camp to further his leadership and mentoring skills, and to challenge himself. He was successful.
Alongside Aboriginal Studies, Malu’s favourite subjects are sport and health. A talented athlete who plays for the Moree Suns AFL Club and the under 18s Moree Boomerangs, he enjoys being active.
During the Camp Malu thoroughly enjoyed the sessions at SportUNE where he could express his athleticism. At one session the participants’ fitness was tested using a variety of sports science technologies as they learnt the science around using energy to generate power. The boys gained an indication of their lower body power, their speed over a twenty-metre sprint, their endurance on a stationary bike, and how long they could maintain a high level of power before their lower body reached exhaustion. Several of the boys indicated they were interested in studying sport science and were advised to ensure they were studying Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), biology and other science subjects.
An integral part of the experience is to stay connected through culture. Here, Malu excelled in playing the didgeridoo in sessions facilitated by Oorala’s Youth Program Project Officer, Michael Cook. Malu already played the didge, yet this session ignited his passion to continue to improve his skills.
At the camp Malu did his community and family proud and was fittingly awarded the Leadership Award. The mentorship in the Oorala Leadership Camp helped Malu to further develop his leadership skills and gain insight into the many pathways young Indigenous men can take after school.
One of the pathways mentioned in the camp was the TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Program. This is a preparation program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to develop the necessary skills and knowledge needed to undertake a university degree. The preparation program is for one year full-time at UNE, and is designed to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to fluidly transition into tertiary studies.
Story Author: Tess Cullen
