From the peaks of the Flinders Ranges to the jungle in Papua New Guinea and his final Year 12 assignments, James is celebrating conquering some lofty peaks.

The 18-year old, who spent time in care, says his involvement with Operation Flinders has helped cement his ambition to join Australia’s Defence Force.

“I want to go into the armoured vehicle crew, artillery or infantry,” he says.

“Around the time I was 14, I looked into it and I kind of got hooked. It’s the organised lifestyle, the discipline and hard work, and at the end of it, you’ve got cool stories to tell.”

The Department for Child Protection is sharing James's story in the lead up to World Care Day - the globe's biggest celebration of children and young people with a care experience.

In 2024, James participated in Operation Flinders through a partnership between the charity and Department for Child Protection, and last year he returned to the Flinders Ranges as a peer mentor.

That involved guiding other young people through the week-long hike at Yankaninna Station, 650km from Adelaide, helping them gain skills in resilience, leadership and self-belief.

“I try to teach people that you have to live in the moment, even if it takes a long time. Everyone had a hard time walking all day, and I would teach them to not be in your head so much.”

In October, through his participation in Operation Flinders, James travelled to Papua New Guinea to walk the 96km Kokoda Track, retracing the footsteps of Australian soldiers, who fought the Japanese during World War II.

It was hot, humid and the group endured several days of pouring rain – but James says the experience was “amazing”.

“(As a participant) I learned that it’s better to take care of your health because if you’re not fit, you’re going to struggle through things, and now discipline is a major component of my life,” he says.

“While we were there, we learned to get up at five o’clock in the morning to miss the heat.”

James, a landscaper, who lives with his uncle in Adelaide’s south, says his association with Operation Flinders has boosted his self-esteem and helped him to better understand people.

“It’s changed the way I talk to people. I’m able to hold a conversation and not just want to stop the conversation, and I have a new level of confidence,” he says.

If he’s successful in his bid to join the Army this year, he also hopes to continue his peer mentoring role during his leave periods.

Last year James also completed Year 12, focusing on community studies, metalwork and woodwork while working on a Tafe Certificate II in Automotive Servicing Technology.

He labels his final year of high school as “pretty stressful”, but says, “completing it was a big relief”.

This year's World Care Day theme is 'breaking barriers'. The theme recognises the barriers young people with a care experience face in areas including education, health, housing and leaving care - but also the resilience, creativity and determination they show in overcoming these hurdles.