Lift Off for Project Uplift

NSW Premier Mike Baird has been a strong advocate and supporter of The Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Support Network for many years, but this passion for making a difference in the lives of disadvantaged and homeless youth took on new meaning with the launch of Project Uplift.

An initiative conceived almost 18 months ago, Project Uplift made the smooth transition from idea to reality when eight young people and eight mentors finally boarded a flight to Uluru to trek the Larapinta Trail on Tuesday 23 September 2014.

The intrepid young team was represented by four different youth services in NSW, while the eight mentors were hand-picked by Premier Baird as recognised leaders in their fields.

Led by World Expeditions, the six-day trek was met with eagerness and excitement from the two young people from Oasis who were invited to be part of the group.

“This is a chance of a lifetime and I am so grateful to be part of the experience” said Lucas*, one of the young people.

Joining the team as mentors were high-profile Australians including Westpac chief executive Gail Kelly, Tim Pickles from Pickles Auctions, Museum of Contemporary Art’s Elizabeth Ann MacGregor, pro-surfer Layne Beachley, musician Kirk Pengilly, former Premier Nathan Rees and National Student Leadership Forum founder and author Jock Cameron, as well as Premier Mike Baird.

The mentors said they enjoyed the challenge and had developed a huge amount of respect for the young people and services that support them.

In an article written for The Daily Telegraph on 2 October 2014, Premier Baird acknowledged that the 100-kilometre trek was one of the most incredible weeks of his life

Director of Oasis Major Keith Hampton acknowledged that “opportunities like this are rare and we are incredibly grateful for the commitment made by all of the mentors. We hope that it has been an empowering experience for all of the young people involved”. He hopes that this will be the first of many such events.

The group set out to conquer a difficult trail in blistering heat over six-days in Central Australia, learn something about themselves, as well as those who travelled on that journey with them. It is heart-warming to know that the bonds formed between mentors and young people on this great adventure will not be soon forgotten.

Photos by Jock Cameron