This month the Components Only and @ The Coalface $500 Community Gift goes to Girls Time Out (GTO), a not-for-profit organisation in Rockhampton that is committed to assisting young people in the region.

GTO is a charity that is doing fantastic work in a variety of ways, including helping with homelessness, providing assistance to young mums, and empowering girls and young women with their program, Me, Myself & I.

The Me, Myself & I program runs fortnightly (except in school holidays) and over the 2.5hr sessions, girls and young women aged 12-20 are supported and guided in the areas of empowerment, identity, and creativity. It includes discussions, team-building exercises and creative art projects.

The program has been running for 8 years and has had some fantastic outcomes, such as a young person who started about 6 years ago and was struggling with gender identity. Through the sessions, this young person was able to examine goals, attitudes, desires and thoughts, developing some character roles to assist them through their journey. This young person now has clarity about their place in the world as a confident and resilient young woman who feels valued, worthwhile and strong.

The success of this program is due in part to the commitment of the current manager, Janine Mann. Janine is supported by Esther Turner and together they are an incredible team dedicated to helping young people in the community.

Janine shares how she personally benefits from the sessions, not only helping others but also allowing her to constantly evaluate her own resilience, identity, empowerment and creativity. She shares these benefits with the group participants, so they understand that the journey of development is always ongoing.

GTO receives referrals through their community network, as well as from schools, hospitals and parents. They have three programs – Gen Y Housing, Young Mums, and Me, Myself & I, all targeted at providing assistance to young people.

The greatest financial cost for the Me, Myself & I program is the purchase of creative resources, so the $500 gift will be a huge help in this area with the donation going towards purchasing those must needed resources.

The fact that GTO receives no government funding for this particular program is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff. They rely solely on donations to continue this supportive program in the community, which makes the gift even more significant.

Girls Time Out is an amazing charity that is doing great work in Rockhampton. The Me, Myself & I program is just one example of the incredible work that they do to support young people in the community. The dedication of the staff and volunteers is truly inspiring, and the positive impact that they have on the lives of young people is immeasurable.