Pastor Ossie Cruse has been working towards creating a Youthland at Jigamy Farm since the late 1960s, and this latest donation from Bega Cheese will allow the youth development site to become operational. 

Member of the Social Justice Advocates Mick Brosnan said the Advocates have been involved with Jigamy for around four years and they applied for the grant from Bega Cheese because they wanted to be proactive in supporting local youths. 

“This grant to the Social Justice Advocates for Youthland will enable the completion of the essential infrastructure and therefore enable the complex to open,” Mick Brosnan said. “It will be life-changing.”

The camping and hostel space for youth development was chosen by Bega Cheese executive chairman Barry Irvin as the recipient of the funds raised at the company’s annual corporate event which supports a local organisation. 

“We’ve admired the work Ossie’s done over a great many years and the youth centre appealed to us,” Mr Irvin said.

“It will help both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children from all walks of life, particularly the disadvantaged and as the centre is at the gateway of the Bundian Way, we see ourselves as able to help create something special that will celebrate our Indigenous history and will benefit the whole region.” 

Pastor Cruse’s final vision for the project involves teaching youths respect, resilience and responsibility.

“My longstanding vision is to build quality of life for youth, to help them gain self-esteem,” Pastor Cruse said. “We want to offer programs that will work with children who are damaged from society and teach them respect. The whole thing could be life-changing for children.”

The $100,000 grant will go towards refurbishing the male toilet facility, developing the manager’s quarters and building a large gazebo at the centre of the courtyard to act as the main meeting place.