Kyle Vander-Kuyp completes Youth Leadership Program

12 August 2010

Kyle Vander-Kuyp, Australian track and field champion, has just completed an eight-day trek along the Kokoda Track. Kyle was one of a group of Indigenous people who undertook the rugged 96km trail and he said it was one of the hardest but most rewarding challenges he has ever undertaken.

Kyle undertook the trek as Patron of Jobs Australia Foundation in its first Indigenous Youth Leadership Program. The programs aim is to develop the leadership skills and abilities of those that attend the 10 month long program.

Kokoda Spirit was engaged to lead the group of 23 participants including mentors and leaders as part of this exciting new Indigenous program.

Wayne Wetherall, Managing Director of Kokoda Spirit and lead guide for this trek said, “Kyle’s participation as a role model had a tremendous impact on this group of young men and women and his willingness to share his own life experiences has left a lasting impression.”

Kyle said that everyone who took on the challenge should be very proud of what they achieved, both personally and as a group working as a team.

“Personally I was very touched spiritually and emotionally, I expected this to be a tough mental and physical challenge but was surprised at the sense of spirituality that accompanied me, it was humbling.
We all hit our own hurdles along the track, it is very rugged terrain and those hills test you to the core but no one gave up. I was so proud to be among this fantastic group of young people who showed strength, courage and commitment and by doing so they honoured those Australians who fought in the Kokoda Campaign,” Kyle said.

Kyle is no stranger to courage and commitment, he holds the Australian record for 110m Hurdles (13.29 sec) and the Australian record for 60m Hurdles indoors (7.73 sec), and has been National Champion 12 times.
Kyle was part of the 4 x 100m relay silver medallist team at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada and was a finalist in the 110m hurdles at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA and represented Australia at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Kyle also represented Australia at four Commonwealth Games, including the Melbourne Games in 2006.

Kyle has received many honours, particularly for his contributions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sport. He is a winner of the prestigious Charles Perkins Award, is Patron for Jobs Australia Foundation, a board member of the Australian Sports Commission Board and is an Ambassador for Centrelink. Kyle is also an Ambassador for the “Red Dust Role Models”, an organisation that promotes the profile and influence of positive role models to deliver health messages and inspire healthy lifestyle decisions among youth living in remote communities.

Kyle dedicates a great deal of time as an ambassador and mentor for indigenous youth. His most recent trek in Papua New Guinea with the youth leadership program is testimony to his ongoing commitment.

See more about the Jobs Foundation Australia trek.