Bundaberg Branch Manager Visits Youth Insearch

28 May 2021

We want to share this heartwarming story with you.

As you may know, we help fund Youth Insearch to run youth intervention programs in the Wide Bay Burnett region. They work with at-risk youth aged 14 to 20, enabling them to reach their full potential. 

During the recent Youth Insearch End Youth Suicide Appeal the wonderful Heritage Bank Bundaberg Branch Manager Gina met Adam, who is Youth Insearch’s social worker based in Bundy. Gina being Gina wanted to know how she could help, so Adam invited her to speak at Support Group session.

Last week Gina did exactly that, she bravely shared her life story with the group.  When I checked in to see how it all went this was Gina’s response:

“It was an eye opener to be honest. I sat in a room with eight young people around the age of 16, Adam from Youth Insearch and two adult men who were there as adult supports. This group has a beautiful way of supporting each other and Adam the facilitator was just a wonderful gift to these teens. 

Adam laid out a heap of strength cards on the table. He asked all of us to collect one and then to share with the group why they chose it. There were beautiful words shared, as difficult as it is to share a true strength of ourselves. (Realistically, it shouldn’t be, but it truly is.) The group then handed it over to me to share my story. 

From my story there were many questions, there were tears, but scarily the stories these young people started to share with each other had my eyes watering. These young people have seen more than what a young person should. The afternoon was facilitated so beautifully and full of wonderful support. It was a blessing to sit in there at the end of the session and hear this group then share their weekly goals, some as big as trying to enroll back in school after being away for 18 months, and some as simple as trying to get eight hours sleep three nights a week.

This organisation is so important. It is truly needed. To know that in some way, I was connected to the help provided to this group was moving. 

Adam has provided me with details of the three group camps that run from Friday to Sunday over the rest of the year. I won’t make it to the one happening this weekend. However I will get to the one in October, I am thinking. I will be there as an adult support to the group. Adam has also mentioned coming back at any time I can on a Wednesday afternoon to be there as a support, and this is something I would consider. Adam mentioned how wonderful it was for them to hear my story. But to also then see them start to share some pretty big stories themselves, was a gift. 

Thank you for making this something even possible. Lives are being changed because of it.”

We would like to very much thank Gina putting herself out there to help the kids and for sharing this special experience with us.  This is a fantastic example of the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation’s vision in action, growing stronger communities, together.  We are such a young Foundation with so much potential to make a difference.  It’s great to hear stories like Gina’s to show we are on the right path.