People, particularly youth, who have nowhere to turn may not take their lives, but their spirit will be broken without the type of help an amazing western Sydney organisation has been providing since 1997.
Set up by dynamic but humble couple Marten and Sally Wynd to prevent youth suicides, Eagles RAPS has relied on federal funding, which was stopped in the May Budget. RAPS stands for recognition and prevention of suicides.
And Eagles? “I grew up in the country and was always impressed about how the wedge-tailed eagles cared for their young,” Mrs Wynd explains.
The “eagles” that form the support base of this organisation have been in full protective flight since learning of the cut in funding.
They will continue to protect the young, particularly in the Blacktown area, and are well on the way with a successful fund-raising dinner at Lily’s Restaurant Seven Hills.
The night, attended by business and community leaders, raised $38,000 with raffles and auctions of a variety of goods.
The night was MC’d by Hills businessman Tony Eades and long time supporter of good causes, Dr Jim Taggart, who said it was only the start of community-based financial support for RAPS.
“This service will continue, if the other night was anything to go by,” Dr Taggart said.
“There are enough good people in the community - the Wynds and our fundraising committee, who want to support youth, for it to carry on.”
But it will be difficult without the $200,000 a year federal funding that stopped because of a change in government policy.
Dr Taggart said governments were “good at writing reports on youth suicide” but left prevention to community organisations.
“If governments spent less money on writing reports on youth suicides, there would be more to spend on supporting young people,” Dr Taggart said.
The Wynds became involved in setting up Eagles RAPS after discussing the high incidence of youth suicides in the Blacktown area.
“Something had to be done to protect our youth,” Mrs Wynd said. “We started in 1997 with counselling and support and then opened our drop-in centre in Doonside in 2000.”
Young people who are not accepted at school, or do not want to be there, are supported in TAFE courses through the organisation, with trained teachers guiding them.
With the cutback in funding, the service has to cut back on the number of young people it can help. That frightens Dr Taggart.
“I hate to think what could happen if less young people are helped. We can’t afford to wait for more funding, we have to carry on,” he said.
Dr Taggart said the committee was working on strategies to raise more money and to continue to fight for re-establishment of government funding. “Our young people deserve that.”
Committee behind the event:
- David Pring, KPMG
- Joe Russo, Gracelands
- John Glover, Pendragon
- Trevor Oldfield and Livia Janovic, Kids West
- Dr Jim Taggart UWS adjunct professor
Support events
- Recent dinner at Lily’s Seven Hills
- Upcoming trivia night and more planned
- To donate go to www.eaglesraps.org
About youth suicide
- Suicide leading cause of death in youth
- High risk ages 15-19, 20-24
- 23.5-49 pc think of suicide at some stages
- Highest rates in low socio-economic areas and rural towns
STORY By Di Bartok
