National Centre of Indigenous Excellence

The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE), is a not for profit social enterprise, building solid foundations and solid futures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since 2010.

A child’s level of physical activity is heavily determined by family. With Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people more motivated to participate in recreational activities if there is a social, community or family connection, NCIE identified an opportunity to engage the whole of community in exercise and healthy lifestyle choices.

The Young, Fit & Deadly program aims to engage First Nations youth through increased involvement in physical activity and nutritional education in a safe, supportive and culturally appropriate social environment.

The Redfern based program involves a range of fitness, social, nutritional and health educational activities to establish confidence and motivation to maintain and improve Indigenous health. In addition, participants will be connected with local health service providers so they can learn and improve their health knowledge around risks and protective behaviours. Participants will also have access to personal nutritional advice and fitness health tracking.

Young, Fit and Deadly also runs week-long school holiday camps at NCIE’s centre, offering a range of fun social activities including swimming lessons, soccer, NRL, basketball, netball, Zumba, and cooking lessons.

The funding will provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth the opportunity to connect with a community of peers and health professionals to increase their health and fitness knowledge, equipping them with the skills to build and maintain a healthier lifestyle.

The idea is to help build positive attitudes and beliefs around health, in a culturally safe environment, increasing the health literacy in young people, improving social connections and decreasing the risk of chronic disease amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.