For almost 18 years, Jenny Pridham has been part of the Raise village, supporting young people as a mentor, fundraiser and member of the Ripples Giving Circle. In this heartfelt reflection, Jenny shares why becoming a grandmother has strengthened her belief in the importance of mentoring and creating meaningful connections for young people.
My name is Jenny, and I have been a supporter of Raise since the very beginning, almost 18 years ago.
I first met the beautiful Vicki through a mutual friend, and when I heard about her vision for Raise, I knew immediately that I wanted to be involved. I remember walking into the Raise office and asking if there was a way I could help by making a donation. That was the start of a relationship that has continued ever since.
Over the years, I've been involved in many ways, including mentoring through the Bump Program, serving on the Sparkle Ball Committee, and now as a member of the Ripples Giving Circle. Supporting Raise has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences of my life.
I have always believed that every young person deserves to feel valued, supported and encouraged. Growing up can be challenging and having just one person turn up for them and listen each week throughout the 20-week program can make an enormous difference.
My professional background was in Telecommunications. In fact, it was my career that brought me from Adelaide to Sydney more than 36 years ago. While I haven't worked in communications for many years, I have spent recent years pursuing some of my creative passions, including painting and floristry. I've even taken up golf, although I'm not very good, I might add!
Alongside Raise, I also support several other causes close to my heart. I'm involved with the Cancer Council through the Posh Ball Committee, and I support Lou's Place, a women's support centre in Redfern.
But while I've been fortunate to be involved in many wonderful organisations, my greatest achievement has always been raising my two beautiful children.
Today, both of my children are married, and recently my daughter welcomed her first child. I am very excited about being a grandparent.
This new chapter in my life is incredibly rewarding and filled with so much joy and happiness, but I also find myself reflecting a lot on the future, particularly for my grandson.
Who knows how many more summers I have left on this earth, but I think about his future and what that will be like for him as a young person growing up in this crazy world. If I'm honest, it makes me a little sad and scared. We all turn on the news each night and hear what's happened during the day. When I hear stories about a 13-year-old boy killing a man for no apparent reason, I don't understand what is happening to our young people that this could be happening.
When I hear these stories, it makes me even more determined that being part of Raise is so incredibly important right now. To be part of an organisation that wants to make a difference for young people, and that is making a difference for young people.
I was lucky enough to attend one of the graduation ceremonies recently and how inspiring it was to see these young people turning up with their mentors and to hear the positive comments and stories about their time together. It is a wonderful reminder that mentoring is not simply about offering advice, it is about connection, trust and helping young people to hopefully recognise their potential.
It makes me so incredibly grateful that I can be part of such an organisation.
Through the Ripples Giving Circle, committed supporters like Jenny help ensure more young people have access to life-changing mentoring when they need it most. We are deeply grateful for her ongoing support and dedication to the Raise mission.
