Ian McAdam, coordinator of the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program
My name is Ian McAdam. I'm from Alice Springs, and I'm the coordinator of the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program.
There is 2 parts to our program - and one is sport, and the other side is about health.
During the day, we concentrate on, I guess, getting our football teams that are lined up with our program to start thinking about doing a lot of health programs with our participants.
Dominic Forbes, participant
It's not as scary as people think it is. Just being a part of the Red Tails Academy, also the NT Academy, growing up. One day the guys were like would you guys like to get a health check? So I just put my hand up and did it.
Ian McAdam
I would definitely encourage young people to really understand the benefits of health checks, and being healthy, because it can only benefit them and their sporting careers.
Tallira Anderson, Aboriginal health practitioner
Young people can come in and see a Aboriginal health worker, and they can have a 715 health check, and we can give them advice and information about living a healthy life.
Ian McAdam
Well, in our environment, the barriers to health and our young people accessing it is remoteness. A lot of people who play in our competitions, in our footy competitions, and within our teams, come from remote communities.
So, getting support around being able to access a clinic is very important for our participants in our footy teams.
And without that assistance, they just wouldn't go.
Dominic Forbes
What I'd say to someone who hasn't had a health check is to go and get it done, to go and get it done as soon as they can. You can see if you have something going wrong with your body, if you have, I guess, unprotected sex, see if you have any STIs or if there is anything in your blood, to see if you're healthy or not.
Tallira Anderson
I would say to a young person who hasn't had a health check to come in and see one of us, the Aboriginal health workers. Everything is kept private. Come down, sit with us, have a yard with us.
Taking control of your health means a chronic disease does not have to be part of your future.