After Mick’s son Kane Crompton pushed for the return of the Kyabram Fire Brigade’s Juniors program, Mick soon found himself taking on one more role, that of Juniors leader.
Though Kyabram brigade used to have a Juniors program, lack of interest over time meant it stopped running for a number of years.
“My son Kane was the driving force behind us getting Juniors back up and running,” Mick said.
“He would always come along to the station when we were doing clean-ups or working bees, and he’d seen competitions running on TV.
“He asked if we had a Juniors program, and when we told him we didn’t, he said we should. So, we chatted to the district office and they helped us to set it up.”
Though Mick fell into the role of Juniors leader more by circumstance, he said he was incredibly glad he did.
“Seeing the way that the children develop is really special,” he said.
“They’ll come along on their first night and some can be quite shy, but it’s great to see them progress as they come to more sessions. They’ll start to get in there and have a go, their confidence increases and before you know it, they’re having a great time.”
Mick said it was important to invest in CFA members and develop their skills from a young age.
“It teaches them life skills and leadership skills,” he said.
“It also gives them a sense of community and helps them to understand that there’s a lot of organisations out there that don’t function without volunteers.
“They’re our future, the Juniors program is a stepping stone to encourage more volunteers to join CFA.”
Mick said he felt thankful for all he had learned about himself and the Juniors members through his time as Juniors leader.
“Being a Junior leader gives you a sense of achievement, it makes you feel as though you’re making a difference for some of the kids out there,” he said.
“Particularly with our brigade we have a few members on the autism spectrum, it helps you realise that not every child is the same; every child is different and they all interpret information differently.
“Everyone is unique and they all love to have a go.”
To anyone thinking about joining up to their local Juniors program, Mick said it was absolutely worth it.
“Come along, see what we do and have a go, you’ll be surprised at the skills you’ll learn along the way,” he said.
The Junior Volunteer Development Program runs in over 160 brigades across Victoria and aims to introduce 11- to 15-year-olds to the CFA.
The program provides young people with the opportunity to become good fire safe citizens, while offering engaging activities that encourage growth, leadership and a range of other beneficial skills.
For more information on how to join the program, visit the CFA website.
