Confidence Starts with Connection
June 12, 2026
For many children and young people in veteran families, life can feel lonely in ways others rarely see. Behind the school day, the sports field, and the smile, there can be grief, financial strain, anxiety, and a deep sense of being different from their peers.
That was Jasmine’s reality.
As a child, she faced anxiety, isolation, and painful feelings of rejection after her family experienced significant trauma and instability. At a time when she needed safety and support most, Jasmine often felt as though she was carrying her struggles alone.
Her mother, Shabina, remembers just how hard everyday moments could be, especially during school holidays.
“Other children would talk about family holidays we could never afford,” she said. “Jasmine felt ashamed and left out.”
Everything began to change when Jasmine attended her first Melbourne Legacy youth camp.
“She came back exhilarated,” Shabina recalls. “She had made friends, built confidence, and finally felt like she belonged.”
Jasmine and friends on recent Youth Camp to Central Australia.
For Jasmine, those camps were far more than a holiday. They were a chance to be alongside other young people who understood what she had lived through. In that environment of connection, encouragement, and shared experience, she began to feel less alone. Through Melbourne Legacy, Jasmine has grown in confidence, formed lifelong friendships, and discovered joy and possibility again while exploring places like Central Australia and Tasmania.
Today, Jasmine is thriving. She captains sports teams, serves on her school’s Student Representative Council, leads worship at her church, and was ranked fourth in her school’s Sportsman of the Year program while still in Year 10.
“It is because of Melbourne Legacy’s support that Jasmine has been able to pursue her love of sport and grow as a person,” Shabina says.
Stories like Jasmine’s show why Melbourne Legacy’s work matters so deeply. By creating opportunities for connection, confidence, and care, Melbourne Legacy helps children and young people from veteran families feel seen, supported, and hopeful about the future.
But as demand grows, more children and young people will need these life-changing opportunities.
Your tax-deductible gift before 30 June will help Melbourne Legacy continue delivering programs that build resilience, restore confidence, and remind young people like Jasmine that they are not alone.
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