Buckley will travel overseas with the squad for the second year running, with the young guns set to visit cities and remote parts of the country as part of their development as potential AFL stars.
The former Collingwood captain said the trip would offer invaluable education on both life and football.
"It's a great opportunity for these young guys; for their minds and bodies," he told afl.com.au.
"They'll come back understanding how lucky they are with some very real life experience.
"They come back with a renewed understanding of the opportunities they have in front of them, and how important it is for them to take advantage of that.
"They have a ball, and I think the program has to include some sort of community development and they definitely get that going over to South Africa."
As was the case last year, Buckley will be limited to attending part of the tour due to television commitments in Australia.
He said he will see the squad play a match and attend a clinic in Cape Town.
Recent graduate and North Melbourne draftee Jack Ziebell said he learned a great deal from joining the 2008 tour.
"You just learn a lot about different cultures. [In] a country like South Africa, some areas are wealthy and like Australia and others are third world," he said.
"It really opens your eyes and makes you feel very lucky and appreciative of what you have at home."
Squad member and hopeful 2009 draftee Kyle Hartigan said both Buckley and Ziebell had shared encouraging stories about their time spent in South Africa last year.
"I'm just looking forward to playing for my country. It's a really great honour," he said.
"I'm looking forward to going over to South Africa to teach the kids there about our game.
"You get a new outlook on life and it changes the way you see things."
Hartigan, 17, is hoping to take the path Ziebell trod last year and go on to be drafted this November, with the AIS/AFL Academy trip the start of his serious push towards becoming an AFL player.
"I'm working my way towards that this year. Being in the squad helps but you've got to play good football each week, and the recruiters want to see you playing well," he said.
"I'll focus week by week and hopefully that will get me there."
The 2008-09 AIS-AFL Academy begins its annual tour this Saturday with a match at Docklands against VFL club Williamstown. The match commences at 11.15am EST and will be a curtain-raiser to the round 3 St Kilda-West Coast clash.
