The concept of Uturn started from a series of weekend activities for high-risk youth at Mt Perry, Qld. These weekends were organised on a quarterly basis by the Sathya Sai Organisation at Bundaberg. Participants from that activity decided to look at a similar programme in the Gympie area on a more regular basis.

Through a meeting with staff from the Cooloola Shire Council, Youth Development Unit a suitable project was identified which eventually brought together the Wood Works Museum - Gympie, Gympie State High School and the participants of the Sathya Sai Organisation of Australia and Papua New Guinea to facilitate a youth programme.

This led to the establishment of the programme in the last school term of 2001 at the Wood Works Museum, Gympie. Initially the programme was only available to male students 12 to 14 years of age, grade 8 and 9, who were at risk in the school system. They attended one day per week during each school term. The skill is based on the old craft of Blacksmithing, that has now been expanded into woodwork, leatherwork and sheetmetal work.

The programme currently operates two days per week and caters for male and female students separately and has expanded its skill-base to encompass electronics, pottery, ceramic painting, cooking, oil painting, sewing, etc.

The programme is now known as Sathya Sai Uturn Training Schools and operates from the Wood Works Museum and and a facility provided by the SDA, in Gympie, Queensland. At present all students are from Gympie High School and are regarded as "having special needs" in the education system.

• Manual craft skills for building basic self-confidence and self esteem. These are blacksmithing, sheetmetal work, leatherwork, woodwork and wirework for Boys. Girls participate in sewing, knitting, crochet, applique, clay, leather and art.



• The Educare tool of W.A.T.C.H. - Watch your words, actions, thoughts, character and heart with a boundary of the big "T" - Trust. This tool forms a part of the daily operations and discussions and becomes an easily remembered remedy for behavioural management by the students. It presents action, consequences and a Heart to Heart connection to all that is presented at a heart level.

Community Involvement:

Participants from the Sathya Sai Organisation of Australia and Papua New Guinea facilitate the programme and draw upon the community for support to carry out the various activities that are conducted within the project. Mentors are encouraged to come forward from the community, undetake training and pariticipate in the program.

The mentor programme is based on the five human values of Peace, Truth, Love, Right Action, and Non-Violence. It is through the practice of these values that the mentors are able to deliver to the student's individual encouragement, look at their behavioural problems and turn these around by drawing out the issues into positive learning outcomes. This process is called Educare. The project uses blacksmithing, leatherwork, woodwork, and for girls, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and artwork, as a medium to bridge the communication gap and build self-confidence.

Objectives of Sathya Sai Uturn Training School

1. To bring together those Youth who are "at risk" and have behavioral difficulties within the Education system, with caring mentors from the community.



2. To awaken in them to their own Goodness through the teaching or imparting of the Five Human Values as given to us by the World Teacher Bagavhan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, these values are : Right Action, Peace, Love, Truth and Non-Violence.



3. To transform these Youth with Love, Role Modelling and leading them through the Values, so they will become useful and good citizens within the Community



4. No Youth will ever be turned away from this programme on the grounds of colour, race, creed or past history.



5. To inspire, be the example, instill confidence and to drawn out the Goodness inherent in all these Youth.



6. Our Motto is be "The most precious gift in education is Character".



7. This is a project of the Sathya Sai Organisation of Australia and Papua New Guinea. It is based on WATCH; Watch your Words, Actions, Thoughts, Character, Heart.