Back in February, Adam Gaydon, Location Manager for Dubbo, had the opportunity to speak at the Poll Dorset National Conference.
It was a great chance to spend time with like-minded people who understand a concept we are so deeply committed to at Boys to the Bush.
Good farms help grow good people.
For those who may not be familiar with our work, Boys to the Bush supports vulnerable and disengaged young boys through early intervention and prevention programs.
We work alongside those who may be struggling at school, disconnected from their community, or facing challenges at home. Through our individualised 1:1 MENtoring programs, camps and school engagement programs, we help young lads build resilience, confidence, connection and a sense of purpose.
Boys to the Bush and farming go hand in hand. There are so many similarities between what happens on a farm and what we’re trying to achieve.
At the heart of it, we’re raising young boys to possess the qualities you’d find in any good farmer. Strong, respectful, hardworking, and community minded.
Before starting Boys to the Bush, I was a high school teacher. I saw first-hand the difference that getting young blokes out of the classroom could make. Put a boy on a farm, around animals, or alongside good adults doing meaningful work, and something often changes. They learn focus. They learn responsibility. They learn that hard work matters and that doing a job properly is something to be proud of.
That’s where Boys to the Bush began. Our early camps were primarily run on farms for disengaged young lads, and that’s something we continue today. Since 2017, we’ve focused on prevention and early intervention strategies for vulnerable youth, helping them before their challenges become lifelong problems.
Over that time, we have impacted more than 10,000 lives through a range of programs, including 1:1 MENtoring, camps and school engagement programs.
What many people don’t see is just how connected our work is to the farming communities. Across all of our sheds, local farmers regularly open their gates, share their time and provide opportunities for boys to learn, contribute and feel part of something bigger than themselves. Quite simply, we wouldn’t have grown as an organisation without the support of farmers and rural communities.
The reality is that many of the young men we work with are looking for purpose, connection and positive role models. Farms provide all three. Whether it’s helping repair a fence, feeding livestock, lending a hand around the property or simply having a conversation while getting a job done, these experiences leave a lasting impact.
At Boys to the Bush, we’re not trying to do anything complicated. We’re simply trying to help boys become good young men.
There are plenty of ways the Poll Dorset community can help. We’re always looking for farms to partner with across our programs.
Our school engagement programs take students out one day a week over five weeks to reconnect them with their communities.
Our holiday and pathways programs give young people opportunities to experience farming, fishing and working with animals.
Our MENtoring program often brings mentors and young lads together on farms, helping out with practical jobs while building trusted relationships.
We’re also incredibly grateful for donations. Our programs are highly individualised because every young person’s circumstances are different. That approach takes resources, and community support remains our largest source of funding. Every donation helps us reach more disconnected boys and provide support for longer when it’s needed most.
If you’d like to support Boys to the Bush through a farm partnership, donation or community collaboration, we’d love to hear from you. For all enquiries, partnership conversations and more, email: info@boystothebush.org.au
