Teen Challenge Mannum celebrates 20 years!
by Joy Marks
On Sunday 20 October, Teen Challenge in Mannum celebrated our 20th birthday. The weather was superb, and the company was even better. I greatly valued seeing past and present leaders and participants and chatting with them during the afternoon. It was fun looking at photos from the past 20 years and all the different things we’ve done and people we’ve had the privilege of sharing time with. It was good knowing where some of those people are today and the good things they’re doing with their lives. It was such an honour to hear that their experience with us was positive.
Teen Challenge in Mannum has a great team of compassionate people who regularly volunteer their time to care for and support our young people. It feels absolutely incredible to still be here 20 years on. Our story began when a group of adults and youth in Mannum, South Australia, saw a need for more youth activities and social spaces. We just felt ‘something’ needed to be done and did ‘something’ without knowing what would happen or how long it would last. We decided to create a Friday evening youth cafe.
After securing support from the newly opened Teen Challenge centre in Murray Bridge, we became Teen Challenge SA Inc – Mannum, also known as Convertible Cafe. Though this was outside Teen Challenge’s usual focus on rehabilitation, we are incredibly thankful for their support. And here we are – by God’s grace – 20 years on and going strong. We are so grateful to all who have helped make that happen. We have received lots of support from local churches, Mannum Community College, the Mid-Murray Council and, more recently, Reclink.
Some highlights are the relationships we have built over 20 years and seeing youth stepping into leadership. Initially, the youth ran Convertible Cafe and spent the evening in the kitchen selling different food options. Now, we start with a meal (the cost covered by generous donors), and then youth plan and run the activities during the evening. Most of our student leaders are now including their planning and promotion as part of their Community Studies subject at school and gaining points toward their SA Certificate of Education (SACE). These leadership opportunities support our young people to gain much-needed skills and experience for their future.
If you want to keep up to date with what we are up to, we have a Facebook page (search for Teen Challenge Mannum) where we post upcoming events and activities. Our email is [email protected]. We invite you to check out our page and message or email us if you would like to be involved in any of the activities or volunteer with us!
It has been a joy to reminisce, remember and thank God for the past. Now, we are embracing the moment, making the most of every opportunity as we look forward to the future. Blessings to our community in Mannum!