OPERATION FLINDERS FOUNDATION

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (17:36): I move:

That this council—

1. Congratulates the Operation Flinders Foundation on its 20^th anniversary and success in providing support and opportunities to young men and women who have been identified as being at risk;

2. Acknowledges the terrific work done to develop the personal attitudes, values, self-esteem and motivation of Operation Flinders participants through espousing the virtues of team work and responsibility so they may grow as valued members of the community; and

3. Pays tribute to the staff, volunteers, board members and ambassadors of the organisation, past and present, who dedicate time, skills and resources into empowering youth through this worthy organisation.

It gives me pleasure to move this motion, which comes in the year when the 20^th anniversary of Operation Flinders is being celebrated. Many members of this chamber would be aware that I have been a long-time supporter and promoter of this program. I declare at this point that I have been an ambassador for the Operation Flinders Foundation for a number of years. I often take the opportunity of visiting the foundation while it is conducting an exercise and of meeting as many of the participants as possible during that time.

Operation Flinders is an excellent community organisation, which receives an extraordinary amount of involvement from volunteers across the community. I am very pleased to move this motion. The Operation Flinders project was set up by Pamela Murray-White in 1991. Ms Murray-White was a teacher and former Army officer. Upon completion of her Army service, she returned to her teaching duties at the Beafield campus, dealing with students with behavioural problems. Ms Murray-White realised that there were some outdoor elements of Army life and culture that could have some positive effect on some of the Beafield students. She sought and received assistance from local Defence Force personnel to set up a program for these young people. The first exercise took place in 1991, with a total of 35 participants.

Sadly, Ms Murray-White passed on in the early days of Operation Flinders' two decades, but I know that she would be proud of where that organisation has landed today. It is a South Australian-based foundation that runs an early intervention program for 14 to 18 year olds. It provides a new direction for young people at risk.

The eight-day program in each exercise begins at Yankaninna Station, which is 65 kilometres east of Leigh Creek, in the North Flinders Ranges. The program provides young men and women who have been identified as being at risk with an opportunity to undertake a demanding outdoor program. Participants face a number of personal challenges as they are taken well out of their comfort zone. They walk more than 100 kilometres over the eight days, and the terrain is certainly not flat and provides a number of challenges to the young people involved.

Currently, Operation Flinders runs five annual exercises at Yankaninna Station and touches approximately 500 students each year, including Indigenous participants and young people who come from a range of backgrounds, including those who suffer from a physical or mental disability. In its 20 years, Operation Flinders has helped approximately 5,000 young people identified as being at risk. Evaluations of the program have continually highlighted the success of wilderness therapy and the difference it makes to the life of the participants.

This new experience ensures that those who participate develop their personal attitudes and improve their self-esteem, while valuing teamwork and the responsibilities that come as a member of a group supporting each other throughout a journey. The program aims to empower participants in the hope that the Operation Flinders experience will see them grow and develop into valued members of the community.

The Operation Flinders objectives can be summarised as follows: to increase access to programs for young people at risk; effect a positive life change for young people at risk by improving self-esteem and confidence; improve the rate of return to education; encouraging young participants to seek employment; reduce the recidivism rate of young offender participants; continually improve the quality of the foundation's program; engage qualified, motivated and experienced staff, whether they be on a permanent, contract or volunteer basis; and effectively respond to the needs of relevant agencies to increase the resource base of the program through support from the public, corporate, benevolent and private sectors.

I must say that the foundation, particularly in more recent times, has been able to put more time into mentoring the participants after they return. I think they get great assistance from service clubs and people with experience in business in providing the support for these young people when they come back to their familiar circumstances. That is a vital part of the program because some young people, when they return from Operation Flinders, can be vulnerable to the previous influences that took them somewhat off the rails.

Operation Flinders currently receives funding through the Attorney-General's Department of the state government of $447,000 annually, but it is also very fortunate to have attracted sponsors Australia-wide. The ongoing generosity in support of these organisations plays a fundamental role in building the success of the foundation. To ensure future success we must, I think, as a community, raise awareness and promote the program to ensure that the ongoing funding for the program is secure. In doing that, the ambassadors play a role in encouraging businesses to get involved, to provide support and encouraging more people to become volunteers but also to provide in-kind support and the sort of expertise that is not always available to a small foundation the size of Operation Flinders.

I was very proud recently to host (along with the foundation) the ambassadors for a meal in this building. They are very keen to do all they can to continue to advance the work of the foundation in South Australia and beyond. I was also pleased, earlier in the year, along with the Hon. Steph Key, to host an information session about Operation Flinders, which a number of members of both houses attended. I know a number have taken up an invitation to attend an exercise—some have already done that and some are on the list to go up there in the near future. I urge all other members of this chamber, if they have the opportunity, to go and witness the work that happens during those exercises. I think they should take that opportunity.

I also mention that the Governor, Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce, has been up to the Operation Flinders exercises on a number of occasions and on his most recent visit walked with some of the young people for some days. I commend His Excellency for that support and involvement. The 20^th anniversary celebration is about recognising the achievements Operation Flinders has made thus far and sharing what that organisation has to offer for future participants. It will be conducted at Yankaninna Station on 5 November; as such, I will seek to have a vote on the motion on Wednesday 19 October. I commend the motion to the council.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.