Pormpur Paanthu’s Youth Summit for 2022, in the tiny Cape York town of Pormpuraaw, was another great success, chief executive Ganthi Kuppusamy said.“It was an amazing week and the event was well received by community members,” Ganthi said. 

A huge program of activities and events, including several run by Australian Ninja Warrior star Jack Wilson and his brother Mick, featured everything from fire-making competitions to touch footy – and a lot of deadly stuff in between. 

Coordinator Vanessa Deakin said it was all about showing their young people they were loved. 

“I’m really, really hoping that there are youth who have come out of this Youth Summit knowing that they’ve got the support around them, they’ve got guidance here if they need it. They are loved and cared for,” she said. 

“I know we’ve got vacation care, I know we’ve got outside school care. But we don’t always acknowledge and recognise the 12 to 24s. They sometimes fall through the gap and that’s where they end up miserable, or they start doing the wrong thing…