First Nations youth train as firefighters to defend Country and Community: 'I want to make a difference'

A group of young First Nations men and women have blazed their way through a training program for firefighter hopefuls. The initiative is a partnership between TAFE and the New South Wales Fire Service - to help young Indigenous people get into their dream job.

Two young First Nations people tackle a fire in training Source: SBS News / NITV

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TRANSCRIPT

For seven months, aspiring firefighters like Hannah Berman have been put through their paces.

They've taken part in simulated emergencies, workshops, and training, that attempts to simulate what it is like to be a professional.

For Hannah, it's of additional, personal, significance.

"My uncle, Danny Eastwood, was actually the first known Indigenous firefighter, so it's very exciting in my family to hopefully take after him and make my family proud.”

Since the course began in 2014, more than eighty Indigenous graduates have gone on to becomes firefighters in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

The Indigenous participants come from a variety of backgrounds, and are spurred on by a variety of motivations.

Another aspiring firefighter, Michael Bolt, says he, too, has matters of the heart driving him towards his goal.

" I lost my brother at the start of the year and he was also someone that wanted to be a firefighter, so it's been hard going through a grieving process and also doing this program, but I'm doing it for him, for me and him, you know?"

19 young people from across New South Wales graduated from the program this year.

Called the Indigenous Fire and Rescue Employment Strategy, or IFARES, the pathway program is designed by Aboriginal staff from New South Wales Fire and Rescue... and has a strong focus on culturally safe and supportive learning.

The program pairs students with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mentor.

Michael says, just as he is being mentored, so too does he want to be a mentor himself to future generations of people just like him.

"Well, I think firefighters are heroes, honestly, like the work that they do, the dangerous work, they put their lives on the line every single day to serve their community and save lives. And I want to be a part of that team and make a difference. I want to be a role-model for my family, my younger family that look up to me as well.... and just a role model in general, you know."

Serving the community through connection to culture, and identity.