General News
21 July, 2026
Youth summit a success
The Magic Moments Foundation's youth summit saw eleven local youth attend.
Eleven young people from across the Avoca, Maryborough and St Arnaud region have returned with new friendships and skills following a youth leadership and business summit.
The summit was organised by The Magic Moments Foundation — a non-profit organisation which supports young people’s skill development.
Their youth leadership and business summit was a five-day opportunity at Campaspe Downs in the Macedon Ranges.
The experience was designed to inspire, educate, and empower young people.
Students from across Australia took park in a wide-range of activities including leadership workshops, financial literacy sessions, personal development activities, and team-building experiences.
Community Bank Avoca, Maryborough and St Arnaud supported 11 students from Maryborough Education Centre, Highview College and St Arnaud Secondary College to attend.
They provided scholarships to the students which totalled almost $1900 each.
The community bank’s branch manager Joel Condon said more than half of the 200 places available were funded by community banks.
“Together ... giving young people opportunities they may not otherwise have experienced,” he said.
The community bank’s survey of the students found they returned home with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose.
While some spoke about believing in themselves and stepping outside their comfort zone others reflected on the importance of resilience and encouraging those around them.
One student said “I learnt that my ideas matter, to me and the people around me” while another said “I’m going to take every opportunity life throws at me”.
The community bank also found parents and guardians noticed positive changes in their children, describing them as more confident, motivated, independent, and willing to embrance new challenges.
One parent described the summit as “a terrific opportunity that made a real difference”, while another said it had been “a turning point” that equipped their child with “knowledge and life skills that will stay with them for years to come”.
Mr Condon said he was proud to support students attendance of the summit.
This was made possible through their banking model which reinvests profits back into community initiatives.
“Every account opened, every home loan approved and every customer who chooses to bank with us helps create opportunities like this for local young people,” Mr Condon said.
“Supporting these scholarships is an investment in the future of our region. We’re helping young people develop confidence, leadership skills and resilience that will benefit them, their schools and our communities for many years to come.
“We often talk about investing in our community, but this is what that looks like. Watching these young people return with greater confidence, new friendships and bigger aspirations is a wonderful return on our community's investment.”
Mr Condon said several students had already shown interest in returning to the summit as graduate leaders next year.
“That’s incredibly rewarding and shows the lasting impact these opportunities can have,” he said.