TROUBLED TEENS SOLDIERING ON
Great ‘boot camp’ mentors help high school students from across the nation become accountable for their behaviour and decisions
RESPECT, resilience and courage are three words you usually associate with military men and women rather than Australian high school students.
That stereotype is quickly changing as teens from across the nation spend their school holidays on a nine-day “boot camp” in a remote part of Springbrook as part of the Veteran Mentors program — all with the aim of helping them combat social and personal challenges.
However, they are not facing the battle alone.
These students are doing it with a team of Australian Defence Force veterans.
Troy Methorst, a former Australian Army combat engineer, said he and the other military veterans were focused on helping kids become accountable for their behaviour and decisions.
“These programs are ideal for 12 to 17-year-old children demonstrating poor behaviours, low self-esteem, lack of respect, addiction to technology, issues with drugs and alcohol, or simply to propel them to reach their fullest potential,” Troy said.
“It can also help those who are anxious and struggling to find their place in this busy world. Some of the children who come on the program are
facing difficulties at home – often with separated or divorced parents.
“We teach them strategies and skills, which include mental and physical resilience, effective communication, conflict resolution and fear/ stress management.”
Sixteen-year-old Tegan McInnes was behaving inappropriately, and according to her mum Angelique, “in ways that most teenagers transforming into young adults would not do”.
“She was not taking care of her reputation, her mental, social and physical health,” Angelique said.
But, according to Angelique, the program has transformed Tegan and the entire family unit.
“We are so grateful Veteran Mentors has been implemented for the youth in Australia. These veterans have not only kept our country and lifestyles safe from our enemies, but they have also saved a teen from making mistakes that could have led her down a path she would have found difficult to return from, if at all.”
Tegan said that at first she was telling herself “I really don’t need to be here”.
“I look back now and I realise it is so beneficial – 100 per cent,” said Tegan.
“I learnt so much. We were sitting around a camp fire on the second night and one of the veterans was telling us about what he went through in the war and I nearly started crying.”
Matthew French, a veteran mentor and Tegan’s troop commander during the program, said he has seen Tegan transform before his eyes.
I LEARNT SO MUCH. WE WERE SITTING AROUND A CAMP FIRE ON THE SECOND NIGHT AND ONE OF THE VETERANS WAS TELLING US ABOUT WHAT HE WENT THROUGH IN THE WAR AND I NEARLY STARTED CRYING TEGAN MCINNES
“I was blown away by the respect she was showing us and her new friends and how she opened up to us about how she was feeling,” Matthew said.
So far, 100 students have participated in the program.
“Our junior leader program is by far our biggest success with 98 per cent of students seeing a positive outcome.”
To find out more about Veteran Mentors visit www.veteranmentors.com.au