#ruralstories When I was 17, I couldn’t think of anything worse than staying in my small country town of Avenel. It wasn’t that there was anything horrible about it, but I lacked the appreciation for what living in a regional area offered me. I don’t think I was alone in this thought. Thousands of regional students move to Melbourne yearly to seek new opportunities, study, find work, to make new friends or simply to get away from where they grew up.
Growing up I remember a boy coming to the school and picking on the kids through the fence. He wasn’t yet old enough to attend primary school but had no safe place to stay home during the day. Disruption and disconnect were common throughout my schooling experience.
My high school at the time had one of the lowest average study scores in the state. It wasn’t unusual to have students wandering the corridors after being asked to leave for being disruptive or simply not bringing a pen to class. I and all but one other girl quit PE after year 10 (even with a lifelong love of sports) in part due to the predatory and unacceptable behaviour that was common among my classmates. Generally, a lack of leadership affected our school community & culture, propelling issues like this through the school. Although there were dedicated staff who supported students through certain subjects, it wasn’t an easy place to thrive. I honestly couldn’t wait to get out of there.
Attending the Young Rural Leaders Program in the summer after year 12 profoundly impacted me intellectually, emotionally, professionally, and socially. It was a breath of fresh air. Being in a room with other young people doing cool things in their communities and striving for their goals highlighted the need for programs and support in my community outside of the standard school structure.
The support from Youthrive Victoria’s wrap-around care model and the connections created through the program helped me when I struggled with the transition to Melbourne. Knowing not one but many people who also lived on the University Crescent made me feel less alone and like I had found my tribe. The ability to reach out to someone just around the corner was invaluable, whether for a heart-to-heart or a dinner together. These friends also understood why I travelled home each weekend for work and supported me through the highs and lows of an intensive design course. I still hold many of these connections as my closest friends (and have even share-housed with multiple alumni members over the years!)
What has been invaluable about Youthrive Victoria for me is the opportunity to develop my own skills. I have taken on as many opportunities as possible, from joining the alumni committee to coaching and managing the leadership programs, being a university mentor, and even using my degree to assist with branding and design. I most recently joined the board of Youthrive to advocate for the ongoing importance and benefits of programs in addition to financial support through scholarships.
The leadership program & training empowers coaches to learn facilitation, management, and problem-solving skills. This experience has set me up well for working in corporate settings, such as my current role as a UX Design Manager at Prosper Digital. I have the foundational skills to tackle unknowns & the belief that if I can’t do it, I know or can find someone who can.
A highlight of my time volunteering with Youthrive was working with a team of young people to develop the first pilot workshop for Dream Seeds. The workshop aims to build aspiration and ease the transition to secondary school. I often think about how a program like this could have impacted & empowered that boy who would yell through the primary school fence.
The best thing about Youthrive Victoria & the YRLP is the emphasis on developing an appreciation for where you came from and a desire to give back. I am so excited to be moving back to the township of Avenel this year and can’t wait to be part of my community again.
– Jessie