November 1, 2012
by Marcus Priaulx
Titans rugby league club has helped Kalchiri Jacobs become an office manager just five months after she left the dole queue.
The Cherbourg woman, 20, joined the Titans Achievement Program (TAP) because she wanted to meet Preston Campbell, experience new things, travel and connect with people from Doomadgee and Mornington Island.
Her confidence grew and she gained work with the Murgon CTC Diversionary office as a support worker, then as a receptionist and is now about to become its Youth Services’ office manager.
Kalchiri enjoys the work and hopes to run her own administration support business in the future.
“This is just the start,” she said, as 17 other Cherbourg TAP graduates received their certificates at the town’s Ration Shed Museum on October 30.
Cherbourg Community support mentor Lauren Williams said the potential of the graduates was phenomenal after they completed Gold Coast work experience, TAFE courses and team leadership exercises during the year.
She said many had found work through the Family and Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs-funded program and some dreamed of becoming flight attendants, apprentice builders, youth workers or restaurateurs.
Mr Campbell said the program was part of the Titans 4 Tomorrow not-for-profit program designed to ensure people chased their dreams and didn’t sell themselves short.
He learned a lot about his culture by visiting the Ration Shed Museum when he came to Cherbourg, he said, and promised he would return to the warmth of the people he met in the town.
Former Titans player Clint Toopi urged the TAP graduates to take what they had learned and act upon it.
“It’s a step up in the world now; get out there, develop, grow and kick on.
“All the experience and time you’ve had with us will hopefully help you in the future.
“You can be whatever you want to be.”
