Scholarship Winner has Beauty in her Sights

Benowa State High School Year 10 student, Natarlia Collins from Ashmore, is a TAFE Queensland Gold Coast Aunty Joyce Indigenous Scholarship recipient for 2018 and plans to actively promote the benefits of education to young people in her community.

Natarlia’s family, the Kamilaroi people, originate from Moree in New South Wales, although this 15 year old school girl who now calls the Gold Coast home was born in Australia’s country music capital of Tamworth.
But it’s not the simple country life this young lady seeks, her aspirations are somewhat more glamorous and adventurous.

“I would love to follow my dreams of becoming a professional in the beauty industry, and combine this with my love for travelling,” Natarlia said.

Natarlia’s dream of becoming a beautician are being realised through her enrolment in the Certificate II Retail Cosmetics course, a TAFE at Schools program aimed at students in years 10 to 12.
She is dedicated to furthering her studies and values the opportunity the TAFE course is giving her. “I want to make a difference in the lives of my people and to help them overcome disadvantages.”
Natarlia is a netball fan who enjoys playing in the annual Budgies Netball competition on the Gold Coast and she’s also actively involved in Deadly Choices.

Deadly Choices is an initiative of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) in South East Queensland and is funded by Queensland Health. It aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families – to stop smoking, to eat good food and exercise daily. Deadly Choices also encourages people to access their local Community-Controlled Health Service and complete an annual health check.

“I love my cultural heritage and Aboriginal art. I have become familiar with the services and love to promote the Kalwun Corporation and everything they do for our communities too.”