By Casey Neill
A group of dogged Dandenong North students are determined to empower their peers.
Wooranna Park Primary School held its second Youth Empowerment Conference at Dandenong High School on Friday 2 June.
In the past, student leaders attended a conference in the city at the school’s expense but the cost increased to the point where it was unaffordable.
So the student leaders – particularly a girl named Melissa – decided that the school should host its own conference and open it to neighbouring schools, free of charge.
Assistant principal Jennie Vine said Melissa researched mental health for two years, including meeting homeless people on the streets to understand how they got there.
She wanted more people to be inspired to solve community problems.
Wooranna Park held its first young leaders’ conference last year at Dandenong High School.
“This year we had more of the private schools getting involved and more of the high schools getting involved,” Ms Vine said.
“You’re getting all these different perspectives from different age groups, which in turn enlightens thinking.”
Nine schools were involved on the day, hailing from as far away as St Kilda.
Students secured sponsors and donations from local businesses and organisations.
“The message that we’re getting back from people is that they understand the big dream of this thing, about collaboration,” Ms Vine said.
“If it gives people an opportunity to see things through new eyes and to apply it to their lives, maybe this is going to give it the engine.
“It’s the marginalised areas that don’t often get the recognition and the empowerment that they’re needing.”
Grade 6 student Daniel, 11, said the day helped kids “to believe in themselves for the future and no matter what, no-one can knock you down”.
“We shouldn’t be defined by our postcode,” he said.
“We could be the entrepreneurs of the future and you shouldn’t have to pay money to be those people.”
Daniel said he learnt a lot about adversity and how different people had overcome it.
Aaliyah, 11, said one speaker explained the most effective leadership methods.
Risinu, 11, said most of the speeches were about resilience.
“When everything’s going south you don’t give up,” he said.
“You keep on trying.”
He said Sensei Matthew Charles told them about overcoming injuries, pushing through tough training and receiving inspirational messages from his karate students.
Jasmine, 11, said Mr Charles’ wife put the messages in his bag “so if he’s ever feeling down and feels like he wants to give up he can just read them and not give up”.
“They were saying how much he inspired them to never give up and they don’t want him to give up,” she said.
The story that stuck with Brian, 11, was about a student who couldn’t afford to stay in school.
His principal allowed him to cook and clean to cover his studies.
The student wanted to study medicine but didn’t get the results. Instead he became a pharmacist.
“He didn’t want money, he just wanted to help people,” Brian said.
