When: every Monday

Time: 7:30 – 9pm

Our office: first floor, 231 Main St Lilydale

Supervision:  adults and over 18 leadership

Age range: 12-25

Current attendance: 50 -70 weekly

As most people are experiencing the draining feelings of Mondayitis, the Bridge Builders crew is excited and busy preparing for the night ahead. Each week we gather with our young people to challenge, motivate, inspire and have a whole lot of fun! We open our office and our hearts as young people flood in the doors from as early as 4pm, eagerly anticipating what the next few hours will bring.

Excitement rises, more young people emerge and you can feel the sense of happiness and buzz in the room. By the time 7:30 comes around, we’ve already spent hours hanging with the crew, building relationships and give lots of SUGA. (If you don’t know what that means you’ll have to come and find out!)

We kick start the night by introducing the newbie’s and allocating them into a clan. This gives them an immediate sense of belonging and puts them right out of their comfort zone with good friends they haven’t met yet 

 

Young people are very well known for their energy so we get the ball rolling with some fun, high impact games! Once we have exhausted our crazy little munchkins, it’s time to knuckle down and work on some ASSET BUILDING!

We use what is called the ‘40 Developmental Assets’ as a frame work in all we do. (You can find more information about the assets on the main menu and home page) Each week we challenge the young people on an asset, character trait, life skill, behavior or simply the way we do life.

 

Since the start of 2009 we have been challenging each other about RESPECT; how to show respect and how to be respected. The young people take these challenges seriously and face them head on, keeping their own peers accountable to their actions.

We have also been working on TRUST; what it truly means to be trustworthy, how to gain trust back once it its broken and trust within relationships. These have been powerful tools in helping our young people in their everyday life, even challenging us at times!

CULTURE has also been a big topic; looking at the world we live in and what we accept as the culture of Bridge Builders. Our crew is very determined and committed to making it a positive culture where we accept everyone, regardless of their differences.

We are continuing our journey of ‘Relationships’ in a general context; with friends, with family, with partners, with work colleagues.  And now, with the introduction of split gender nights, our smaller groups are getting to know each other and building stronger relationships, being able to share and support each other.

 

Our young people are truly amazing and I would like to thank all of the crew who make Bridge Builders the best place to be. At only 21, I am honored to serve as a leader here and love doing the journey of life with every young person! No matter what life throws at them they continue to fight their battles with dignity, character and with one heck of a punch!

For any young person wanting to join I say “come taste and see what it is like, you won’t be disappointed’

For any parent out there concerned about your kids “They are in our safe hands, we take risks but they are always calculated and we have one awesome, detailed, OHS person who keeps it in line”

Love. Value. Acceptance. Belonging.

Be part of our crew, and experience what it means to be a Bridge Builder!