Mrs GASH (9:25 PM) —Scratch the surface of most people my age and it will not take long for them to start talking about the problems of the youth of today. They might be stereotypes but the media and the community can be as fond of presenting negative images of young people as some are of watching them: `Young people are not what they used to be; they're irresponsible and they don't have to work hard—not like when I was young.' How we forget! I have always been one to look at the best in people and to find the opportunities for them to excel in whatever they choose.

That is why seeing the establishment of what I call civilian cadets, otherwise known as the Shoalhaven Youth Volunteering Initiative, has been the highlight of my political career. If only I could show to everyone just how eager the young people have been and how proud they are of what they have achieved. The Australian government has recently announced a further grant of $130,600, which will allow the success of civilian cadets to continue in Gilmore and for the program to be promoted Australia wide. The new project to be funded by the grant will be built on the considerable momentum that has been developed by the civilian cadets pilot program.

Not long after I was elected, I asked the Prime Minister about the introduction of some sort of national service. After some discussion it became obvious that, to encourage a cadet version, it would need to be on a non-military basis. A public meeting drew a huge turnout and gave an important boost to the idea of civilian cadets. Milton Lay, the CEO of the local area consultative committee, formed a committee outside of government that included representatives from schools, unions, businesses, the community and the services, such as the police and the national parks.

In the pilot program, 168 students—and there was a waiting list for another 200 young people—completed training with organisations such as the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, the Surf Life Saving Association, the New South Wales State Emergency Service and the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol. Students also gained national training recognition. At the end of the program, 90 per cent of students went on and joined the organisation they had trained with. These same students were called out during the Shoalhaven bushfire emergency and also took part in thank-you parades in Sydney and Nowra.

The support coming from the community is overwhelming and our new national project will allow another 240 young people to become involved. The extension of the pilot program will encourage and train people into volunteering roles within local community service agencies of the Shoalhaven. Activities will include identifying young people who wish to be trained as volunteers in community service agencies, the identification and support of the local agencies themselves, and the placement of young people in structured training and in three-hour placements in community service for 36 weeks.

The next stage for civil cadets is to extend the reach of the program within the Shoalhaven region and further develop its local sustainability. Achieving this involves bringing together the principles and details in such a way that the program can become a model for others to pick up and put into practice. The new extension will also focus on including Indigenous young people, on more recruitment of community service agencies and trainers, and on marketing of the project to attract industry sponsorship and other local support.

The main ingredient for success has been the encouragement and enthusiasm of the trainers and the agencies, and it highlights the partnerships between Commonwealth and state governments and community organisations in providing opportunities for our young people to develop skills—skills that benefit not only themselves but also their communities. As well as improved skills and self-confidence, the project has contributed by showing positive images of young people in the community, and the community service agencies have benefited from more volunteer help.

Communities themselves also benefit because it promotes the priority of serving others. The Shoalhaven Area Consultative Committee will continue to have oversight of the project with their representation on the management committee. Milton Lay, Alan Mulley and Andrew Fitzsimons—a school teacher—are the three people who need to be singled out for making it happen. They have seen the opportunities of what can be done in working together and are now about to see their plans take off. So to all in the Shoalhaven: because you took a chance and made it happen, thousands of young people will have the opportunity to develop initiative, personal discipline, teamwork and their leadership potential. Well done to the Shoalhaven.

Question agreed to.