Eagles Raps Sally Wynd a Pride of Australia recipient nominee

IT takes a special type of person to build something from the ground up to help others.

Sally Wynd with students from Eagles Raps.

IT takes a special type of person to build something from the ground up to help others.

Sally Wynd is one of those people.

Mrs Wynd and her husband Marten founded Eagles Raps youth centre in Doonside almost 20 years ago as a suicide prevention hub.

“We started it after a couple of kids suicided in the area,” Mrs Wynd, a Pride of Australia community nominee, said. “We decided there was nothing in the area for youth services.”

Now, up to 120 students are educated at the Graham St centre in a major program run by Mrs Wynd.

“The kids are here for so many various reasons,’’ she said. “Some have learning disorders, drug and alcohol issues, critical life events or behavioural issues. There is a lack of hands-on support for kids in the area. I know there are some very good services, but there are just too many kids for them to handle.”

Eagles Raps offers support to young people including counselling, assisting in finding accommodation, education and training, and recreational facilities. “There are lots of programs in the school, from healthy eating, to bringing in people to do workshops with the kids on money,” Mrs Wynd said.

She says the hardest part of the job was giving youth confidence and ambition.

“Out here, they start to believe they can never be anything. They get told that living in western Sydney, you’re rubbish. They start to believe that.

“(Federal Chifley MP) Ed Husic gave us $6500 for new tables and chairs so I bought some really nice ones. The kids asked why they look like Alice and Wonderland style and they said ‘They are too fancy for us’.

“I say to some of the girls, ‘Can you imagine your life in your own house, with your husband next to you and your kids running around’? And they look at you as if you’ve come from the moon.”

The youth centre, for young people aged 15-24, does not receive government funding but does receive support from the corporate community.

You can nominate someone who has inspired you through their dedication, initiative, courage or acts of charity. They can be a neighbour, friend, team mate, colleague or family member. For more information and to nominate somebody visit:

prideofaustralia.com.au