In 2010 the Youth Support Program thrived, with an increase in attendance giving us the ability to support and provide assistance to a greater number of young people.
The Integration Program played a big part in this increase, retaining many of our Yr 6 students and bringing in new Yr 6 students who had previously not accessed the Centre. The Program is designed to give students time in the Youth Program before they set out to High School, providing a foundation of support for their teenage years.
Teenage years are a time for developing a sense of who we are and where we fit in and the Youth Support Program plays an important role in this process. It is a central point for them to come back to, a place to catch up with old friends and a safe environment in which to explore their developing personalities.
Food, technology and fun activities are crucial elements that encourage young people to attend the Program and keep them interested. This is also an opportunity for valuable communication time between staff and young people. It is often while we’re playing games together or enjoying Wednesday Night Dinners that we are able to develop the mutual trust and respect needed to maintain supportive relationships.
This year we were fortunate enough to go on two excursions – racing around the track at FastLane Karting was both exhilarating and competitive, whilst The Manly Quarantine Ghost Tour tested the bravery of some and the fear-inducing behaviour of others.
Our camp at Nelson Bay was a fantastic weekend, and a chance for staff and youth to see a more relaxed side of each other. We got back to nature camping, checked out the old Airforce planes at Fighter World and rounded off our weekend with more Go Karting (watch out Bathurst!).
We also commenced a photography course, with young people learning the skills needed to photograph their local area for an exhibition in 2011. Thanks to a City of Sydney Community Grant of $3500 we purchased a digital SLR camera and employed a professional photographer to provide instruction for “My City – A Photographic Exploration”. This course has enabled young people to learn skills for life whilst also looking at their city through different eyes.
Finally, we were pleased to award our Eric Crouch Award to Dayne Cooper who has accessed the service for many years. Due to some complexities in his life, Dayne had been disengaging from school and not keeping up with his schoolwork, but thanks to help from South Sydney Youth Services and volunteer tutor Jared Millican, Dayne commenced weekly tutoring. To his credit Dayne was extremely committed and enthused towards his tutoring. Through hard work and dedication he performed very well in class work and in exams for the remainder of 2010, proving his potential. Congratulations to Dayne.
2011 is shaping up to be another busy year, where we can all build on the achievements of 2010 and contribute to a successful Youth Support Program.
Tracy Clifton, Youth Program Co-ordinator