Don’t forget where the future comes from

Ireckon has been a proud supporter of the Beacon Foundation, a national not-for-profit aimed at helping young people create their own future. They work with schools to provide positive influence and leadership to help young people avoid unemployment and to think forward.

Today I got to experience first hand the work they do, and how well it works.

Ireckon was asked to provide some financial support to Forest Lake High School, and we were invited to hand over the cheque to the Student Leaders involved in this year’s program. The presentation was held at their assembly for Years 10,11,12 and not only did we get to have our small minute of involvement but watched and listened to the senior staff and school leaders conduct their assembly.

The school has over 1300 students and 150 staff, which is a big operation in any ones books, and being a business owner can understand how much the senior staff have to do to run their ‘business’ let alone educate and motivate 1300 students.

What was impressive were the 18 Student Leaders directly involved in the Beacon program this year. These students are Year 10, and if my math is correct that makes them 15/16 or so. They work through the programs guided by volunteer teaching staff, Beacon coordinators, but obviously from what they are achieving, their own motivation.

While their peers might be hanging out at lunch, some of their time is used to collaborate on projects and events that operate between other schools, businesses and other associations. These students get to meet business people, visit businesses and see practical employer side events that expose them to real world work opportunities.

The group I met today, had enthusiasm and were interested in where their futures lay. All different of course, there were those a bit quieter that were obviously less comfortable talking to an old geezer, but others that wanted to soak up everything they could from anyone that would give them the time.

What dawned on me was that some years ago I was involved in a program a little different but run within my high school (okay quite some time ago) but which had a business flavour, and looking back now, was part of the process that led me to where I am today. My pals often wondered what I got out of it, and some days (and at the time) I wasn’t sure, but that just reinforces why it is important to be supportive without forcing such participation.

The subtle influence the program I was involved in obviously became part of the fabric that makes up my life history to date, and the way I directed my life path.

The students I met today seemed to have confidence (not arrogance), and were a great example of the polite, keen and bright future generation of this country. A truly multi-cultural group, they come from a school with 49 different cultural groups, they are Australia tomorrow. They are the kings and queens of our future generations, and I realised how much my own kids and many take for granted.

In discussion with several of these students, I made grand assumptions they used and had access to the plethora of social networking sites and tools that our media tells us this generation uses. My bad. In that particular conversation 1 of the students stumbled a bit over it and explained he didn’t have that much internet access.

While some have broadband and personal laptops in some sides of our community there are plenty who don’t. A young adult with desire and ambition without the tools or support can be lost as a valuable member of this community. It was my own wake up call.

Recently I have attended a few events at Forest Lake, and will continue to offer our support to them and other schools in the SE Qld program we are involved with. Our General Manager is also involved and some of our staff are going to be mentors in different programs.

I am glad I got my own first hand reminder today to remember it is all of our futures we are investing in, and it is payback for the people that invested in me in my past.

If you have the capacity or business available to help our future please contact me or Beacon and raise your hand. Time is as important as money, and to these students today, a few words of encouragement and answering their questions honestly without prejudice is as important as their studies as they try to chart their future course.

To those I met today – well done! You are a credit to yourselves, your school, your families and your communities. To Beacon and the School keep up the good work!

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