Jasmine's Story

Our youth camps have been held in diverse locations across Australia, including NSW, Central Australia, Tasmania, Sydney, and Queensland.

The camp’s focus is on providing exciting opportunities for the children of veterans, whilst encouraging them to form meaningful connections with their peers. Children are brought together by their shared lived experiences, giving them a sense of belonging and the chance to form strong bonds with others who understand their journey.

Designed to build resilience, independence, and leadership skills, the camps maintain Legacy’s promise to support the children of veterans to flourish. An important consideration is also to provide young people with access to experiences that may otherwise be out of reach due to financial circumstances.

Jasmine recalls feeling initially daunted when she attended her first camp, particularly being surrounded by older children. However, the welcoming and inclusive environment quickly helped her overcome these fears.

“It was really daunting to go to those camps where there were kids older than me.” Jasmine shares. “But I found a really good connection with the leaders, and they helped me foster new connections with the other kids.”

Jasmine’s mother, Shabina, has seen firsthand the impact the camps have had on her daughter’s growth.

“Having that group of people that she's grown up with over the years and who have similar stories, has helped Jasmine a lot to become more confident in building relationships.” Shabina says.

Through the camps, Jasmine has built lasting friendships. The camps bring together children of veterans from across Victoria, giving them the chance to reconnect with friends they might not otherwise meet up with often, creating moments they genuinely look forward to each time.

“My oldest friend in legacy is Lachie,” Jasmine shares. “We've gone to all the camps together since we were nine and it's been really good growing up and bonding with other people that have been through similar things to me”.

Not only offering a chance to relax and have fun with their friends, the camps also offer opportunities for personal growth and development at an important stage of a young person’s life.

Over time, Jasmine has grown into a confident leader, both at camp and at school. She participates in many sports, has captained multiple teams, and in Year 10 placed fourth in her school’s Sportsman of the Year rankings. Now in Year 11, she is serving her third year on the Student Representative Council.

Jasmine has also taken on a leadership role within the camps themselves, mentoring younger participants.

Reflecting on her role, Jasmine says that mentoring and being a support for younger kids on the camps has helped her in her school life and contributed to her leadership skills.

Looking ahead, Jasmine hopes to nurture this passion for leadership through youth work, particularly supporting young people who need guidance and positive role models. Jasmine has even lined up an internship with Infuse Travel, who Melbourne Legacy partners with to run our youth camps, to work with them after she completes her schooling.

Jasmine’s journey reflects the lasting impact of Melbourne Legacy’s commitment to supporting young people to thrive.

Through connection, opportunity, and a strong sense of community, our youth camps continue to empower children of veterans to grow in confidence and discover their potential.