Salvation Army Captains Athol and Kirsten Harmer moved their family into the heart of a highly-disadvantaged community in Bidwill, near Mt Druitt, NSW in January 2007, opening their home to the community for referrals, homework support and mentoring.
Their main aim – in this area where 10 percent of young people don’t make it past year eight and one in five leave school in year 10 (culminating in a 20 percent unemployment rate in the area) – has been to invest into the local children and youth.
A key part of this is their Friday night Youth Network, which is attended by ever-increasing numbers of local children – 180 at last count. The Harmers are ably assisted in running the Youth Network by a group of around 20 “home-grown” teenage leaders, whom they mentor weekly.
The Harmers see in the children and youth the seeds of hope for new beginnings in the area. Says Athol: “Already, our young leaders can see that if their community is to change, the change has to come from within them.”
i came across this site, and wow i’ve been reading ever since.
you guys are doing great things and i’d love to participate.
im only 15, but i am willing to make a difference.
Hi Patricia,
Great to hear from you – thank you for your positive feedback and pleased to hear that you’d love to participate.
We would recommend that you apply to do STUMP first and foremost, although applicants must be 16 years of age or over. Are you turning 16 this year?
hey ive been able to attend this youth network and it is great i am now a team leader helping athol out and they are great people i believe i can make a difference in this community aswell