Red Dust Role Models

Tomorrow I am heading to the centre of Australia to a town called Areyonga which is a town close to Alice Springs and home to a small Aboriginal community. It all started last year when I received a phone call from ex-champion Aussie swimmer Linley Frame, who is one of the founders of a charity called 'Red Dust Role Models'. Red Dust is a charity who's intention is to promote positive lifestyle and and healthy life messages through the influence and profile of 'role models' from the wider community. I was touched when they offered me a position on one of their tours to central Australia.

Obviously there are plenty of things that are going to be confronting, challenging and daunting about the whole experience but the reality that it will most likely be completely compelling, uplighting and inspiring has me excited at the prospect. To know that I can perhaps help even a little bit in a community that faces challenges everyday makes me feel positively overjoyed. The biggest thing is learning (and quickly) how I can and can't act and what I can and cannot say etc.

The day we arrive we have a briefing with the team to better understand the culture we are about to enter into. Already I've been doing a bit of research and I'm well aware that my social norms are in many ways different to this community's way of life. Even something as simple as taking a photo needs to be undertaken delicately because many elders never let their photo be taken.

One of my team members is ex-Australian champion hurdler Kyle VanderKuyp and an indigenous Australian himself. What excites me most, apart from the fact I hurdled at school and greatly admired him, is that he will be able to guide me through the ins and outs of dealing with the kids because he's done it all before. I can tell from the videos and photos I've seen that he is adored by the kids and hopefully will be able to help me form some relationships with the children.

It's going to be a culture shock, it's going to take me out of my comfort zone and I think it is going to be one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences of my life. Watch this space as I update you after my trip. I will be taking heaps of photos and filming the experience and hopefully next time I write I'll be able to effectively relay how the whole adventure was.

Anyone wanting more info on Red Dust can go to http://www.reddust.org.au/

'Nuff Said

picture courtesy of: http://www.news.com.au