On the 9th August, we brought together colleagues & guests to officially Launch our Youth Plus Foundation. Overlooking the beautiful Brisbane River with the Story Bridge as our backdrop, the night began with a Welcome by our Director, Dale Murray. Dale remarked on the responsibility we have to foster an environment of shared growth, justice & opportunity in our community and walk alongside all young people to enable them to reach their potential. Following on, we were joined by Uncle Des Sandy, a respected elder of the Jagera Daran Nation to welcome us to Country. With his deep knowledge of country & Indigenous history, we acknowledged the traditional owners and the land on which we stood.
To celebrate the Launch, we were joined by two guest speakers. Bernie Geary, OAM our Youth Plus Ambassador, who has over 30 years’ experience in the youth & education services sector and Michael Groom, an extraordinary mountaineer who has climbed four of the world’s highest mountains including Mt Everest, twice. Bernie drew on lived experience and personal reflection to highlight the significance of supporting disenfranchised young people to ensure all communities have equal opportunities for self-empowerment and education. Michael shared his immensely inspiring survival story to articulate the importance of resilience and determination when the chips are down in life.
We were also joined by a very special family. Clive & Nita Hildebrand have been supporting our work for a number of years in loving memory of their son, Greg. To conclude the evening, we were extremely thankful to receive an incredible $100,000 donation from the Hildebrand’s presented to Dale. We endeavor to celebrate Greg’s wonderful passion for education & spirit as part of our Youth Plus Foundation vision. Our partnership with the Hildebrand family will provide invaluable support to our Flexible Learning Centre’s to engage, empower & nurture our young people.
On behalf of the Youth Plus Foundation Board Chair, Daryl Hanly and fellow board members, we sincerely appreciate all attendees on the night and look forward to continuing our work to enable young people from all walks of life to have equal access to educational opportunities.
The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.
Diogenes