To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2025, we’re sharing the stories of two of our Tertiary Accommodation Grant (TAG) recipients. The theme of NAIDOC Week is “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”, so we want to showcase some of the next generation who have come through the TAG program.
TAG program owner, Kristie-Lee Butler said "all of our TAG students are future leaders - they're smart, driven, talented people who are going to leave their mark in whatever they pursue."
Students who received grants in 2024 are pursuing diverse career paths including law, exercise physiology, journalism and business. We asked Kayrenia and Rhys what they think their legacy will be.
They say it’s never too late to be what you want to be” I’ve learned that I had to create my own opportunities. As a mature-aged Indigenous single mother studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in legal studies minoring in Indigenous studies and wanting to come back to do a graduate entry of law, I haven’t always had doors open for me. But when society made space for me, I stepped through the door not only for myself, but for my children and my community."
Kayrenia Kelly will finish her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2026 and plans to complete a graduate entry law degree after that. She's currently interning in Sydney while she continues studying. In the future, Kayrenia plans to work in family and criminal law "so that families have an advocate on their side to navigate a system that can leave you feeling like you've got no voice."
“I’ve spent a lot of time on the patient-side of the physio-patient relationship, so I know what makes a good practitioner - a bit of empathy and someone who can think a bit more holistically about a person’s health.
I hope that I’m remembered as a good practitioner. I want to work hard to help people. In my field you get to understand why a client's body is behaving in a certain way, then help them get it back to working how it should. So if I'm working diligently means I'll be able to make a real difference in peoples’ lives."
Rhys is due to finish his Bachelor of Exercise Science this year. He plans to study his masters next year so he can either be a Physiotherapist or Exercise Scientist. Alongside his study, he's currently working with Wollongong University's Woolyungah Indigenous Centre doing school outreach, helping kids connect with culture and figure out what they want to do in their future.
About TAG
TAG offers students financial support so they can focus on studying. For some students this means they can work a casual job and do internships, for others it means they work part-time and have peace of mind knowing that rent will be covered.
Kristie-Lee Butler said "It's crucial that we reduce barriers for Aboriginal students to access higher education, especially in the middle of a housing crisis. We know that having a tertiary qualification affects job opportunities, earning potential and health outcomes - we're investing in these students early because we know it will pay off for them in the longer-term."
Find out more about the TAG program on our website.
