UR Retreat
Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (09:46): It was an absolute privilege to again support and attend the UR Retreat for young women, an amazing camp specifically for teenage girls in my community aged 12 to 16. Fifty young women had the courage to step out of their comfort zone and attend the camp, giving them a valuable springboard for their development journey, where they participated in workshops to expand their skills and confidence, heard from inspirational speakers, made new connections and friendships and discovered that they do belong, that they are loved and valued and that they can aspire to reach their full potential, all in a safe, caring and nurturing environment, free from judgement. Congratulations to program manager Bonnie Knight and finance manager Vanessa, as well as camp leaders Ash, Alisha, Cilla, Holly, Karena, Kimberly, Natalie, Phoenix and Shae.
UR Retreat has helped 820 young women over 16 years and has definitely saved lives. It is an awesome initiative of the Bridge Builders Youth Organisation, based in Lilydale. I pay tribute to and thank Phil Stenhouse OAM, Beck Mitchell, Nabil Salameh and the board and volunteers at Bridge Builders for their vision and hard work to support and empower local young people and make a difference in their lives.