The Drop-In zone adds colour to Colac youth community
It is a lively Tuesday afternoon in regional Victoria as spirited young locals gather for a rejuvenating dose of fun at their local Colac Community Centre. Splashings of vibrant paint fly through the air as the youths double over with laughter whilst creating artworks of all sorts in a space uniquely their own. Yet this energetic scene has not always been the norm for the teenagers until an unknown donor and The Salvation Army intervened, as Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH discovered.
It took a life-changing and profound moment in the heart of Colac township to change the trajectory of its young people.
When an unknown town resident witnessed a distressing scene last year where a local lady struggling with substance abuse issues acted erratically in the busy business district, yelling and screaming at anyone walking or driving past, it had a profound effect.
Adding to the deep impact for this person was observing how the local corps officer, Lieutenant Paul Trotter, and a shop volunteer went to the lady’s aid, helping with clothes, emotional and practical support, and providing a safe place.
It was to be a pivotal moment for the community member who decided to turn adversity into opportunity, donating a large sum of money to the Salvos to support young people specifically.
Hence, ‘The Drop-In’ new youth space was born.
“It’s been an absolute lifesaver for the young people,” said Josiah Van Niekerk, Community Engagement Coordinator and head of Business Development of the Corps.
“There is absolutely nothing for local young people to do in our township of 20,000 people except a bowling alley and swimming pool – and they must pay to attend these facilities.
“The Drop-In has given them a home away from home, and a home they are building with their friends to grow a sense of belonging and hope. It is a space for youth, a place for youth, and shaped by youth. If we did not have the funds from the generous donor, it would not have been possible.”
After receiving the huge donation, a case of six degrees of separation led to the realisation of the new youth space.
Unbeknownst to each other, Marita Brady, CEO of SkillsConnections, and Josiah had separately considered creating a much-needed social youth space in the region. It was only at a Schools and Communities Together (SACT) meeting of local organisations that they realised their shared vision and passion for local youths to finally have their own space.
“We both talked to the same School Principal on the same day, about the same thing, about the same vision, not knowing each other had done the same thing,” Josiah said.
“It was just this coincidental, unusual kind of thing. So, when we realised our shared vision for the local young people, the decision was made to work collaboratively. We all wanted to be involved – and so the concept of The Drop-In was born.”
Discussions began with the local Victoria Police community liaison officer and a working group made up of SkillsConnections, Victoria Police and Colac Salvos for the new youth space to be created as a program underneath the Salvos banner as it attracted volunteers and had public liability cover. It also had the space at their Community Centre. Josiah also consulted with Scott Kean, the Victorian Secretary for Youth and Young Adults, for his input and direction.
“And it snowballed from there,” Josiah added.
“The most involved part was investigating internally on what it would look like for us to do it as we had no experience or kind of history with youth work in Colac.
“It has been a great blessing and testimony that the new initiative has engaged people in the community ... and to be a vessel to create a space for the needs of young people.”
Welcoming space
The Drop-In runs every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon after school for a few hours.
The working group’s top priority has been creating a space that is safe, fun, and welcoming for all. Chatting with young people about what they would like in their new space was of paramount importance.
The result was fitting out the new area with a bunch of paints, creative arts equipment, a table tennis table, a massive Connect Four game and a five-foot Jenga physical skill game. Further activities will be added over time as the young people immerse themselves in their new zone.
With The Drop-In now operational, both Josiah and the Salvos team will be undertaking outreach work and liaising with families to help them understand the new youth initiative is a safe space where all the appropriate checks have been done.
The staff also wants to ensure parents are comfortable sending their kids to The Drop-In and arranging drop-offs and pick-ups.
“That’s going to be the next barrier for us to kind of overcome in that space,” Josiah remarked.
“But we have had a really good start. We aim to provide a space where teenagers can connect with others in a supervised and safe place and be able to switch off from their problems, and they also get a chance to experiment with games and arts and crafts that they wouldn’t normally have access to.
More community organisations are coming on board with The Drop-In, including the Colac Otway Shire and employment agencies, which provide volunteers. All secondary schools in the area are also on board and supporting the initiative with volunteers.
Support has also been forthcoming from local radio stations, the ACE radio network, news outlets, and journalists, thanks to a good rapport between the Salvos and the media.
“The radio station has a brekkie program featuring two guys who are local celebrities,” Josiah said.
“So, it has really been really powerful to be able to have their support of all the work we are doing but particularly in this new initiative. They have been so supportive. I will just walk in and say, ‘Hey guys, are you up for an interview?’ And they respond, ‘Yeah, cool!’.”
Community support has been pivotal for the township, as the issues facing its young people are, in most cases, the same for all young people of this generation.
Josiah said the effects of technology, substance use, and fractures in the community led to many family and relationship problems and a lack of depth in relationships, especially for youths.
“We are creating spaces at our community centre, including the new space for young people to build relationships, which is so powerful.”
He believed society did not have a culture where humans created really good, long-lasting relationships, and many factors came into play in the brokenness of relationship building, such as all the innovations people took for granted and that went unchecked, which now became a normality in young people’s lives. Josiah further added that young people should be consulted about how all innovations could help or hinder society’s ability to form long-lasting relationships.
“We are creating spaces at our community centre, including the new space for young people to build relationships, which is so powerful,” he reflected.
“Functional families that have succeeded in schools and have succeeded in relationships are often the first ones to leave the township. So, when you lose these role models, you lose these impactful young people straightaway, so the challenge is getting them to stay to be part of shaping the culture.”
Being an integral vessel for wholescale community change to happen through the apparatus of The Salvation Army that went back to its founders, William and Catherine Booth, and to create tangible, impactful Kingdom change in the region, is also of paramount importance.
“If we are serious about creating change in our community, we need to be serious about creating changes in our families, marriages and individuals,” Josiah commented.
“Through doing God’s work, I believe we can create tangible, earth-shattering change in our communities and, most importantly, break generational and community barriers, including all the new barriers our young people are facing.”
