When a group of youth and their leaders from the Hunter region gathered earlier this year for a weekend of Bible talks, games, and campfire chats, they weren’t just running another youth event, they were investing in the future of the church.
Hunter PY Camp is one of several regional initiatives supported by PYNSW, designed to help churches that might not have large youth groups build connections, share resources, and see young people grow in Christ together. For leaders like Cooper Rispin, the impact of these camps is unmistakable.
“I think there’s such value in it,” says Cooper, who serves as the Youth & Outreach Pastoral Assistant at Gateway Presbyterian Church in Port Stephens. “Camps are a really good opportunity to just pause, be deep in the Word, and get away from distractions. You see youth realising, ‘Oh, there are other people like me. We all love Jesus, or we’re all trying to figure out who he is.’”
A network that strengthens regional churches
Despite not growing up in the Presbyterian Church, Cooper heard of PYNSW through his wife who had attended many PY Summer Camps over the years. So when he moved from Sydney to Anna Bay, taking up a ministry role with Gateway Presbyterian, he was intrigued to hear of the involvement of PYNSW in regional activities in the area.
“It surprised me,” Cooper admits. “I’ve not grown up in a context with many churches having strong relationships with other churches, even within the same denomination. But here, they were driving for hours just to be together, and my youth were so excited about it. They often say, ‘I can’t wait to see these people again.’ or ‘ I hope … will be there.’ That’s when I realised how valuable this is.”
The collaboration goes beyond the youth themselves, it’s across the leaders too in supporting each other and sharing the load. Now in its fourth year running, Hunter PY Camp brings together youth leaders across the region to collaborate on coordinating logistics, music, small groups, food, and games which would otherwise be a lot for a single church/youth group to handle. But when the Hunter region comes together with support and guidance from PYNSW, it becomes not only possible, but powerful.
“A lot of us would struggle to do this by ourselves,” Cooper says. “Maybe you don’t have enough leaders, or the right gifts. But by doing it as a network, we can all bring what we have. The cost is so small relative to the gain.”
Seeing God at work
This year’s Hunter PY Camp theme, ‘Death and Resurrection’, sparked deep conversations among campers. For Cooper, one story in particular stands out.
“One of my youth became a Christian just a few weeks before camp,” he shares. “They were just so excited. They found it so valuable being in community, and in God’s Word together. That’s why we do it. You see lives transformed, and you get to help young people understand how the Bible can and should shape their life.”
Youth didn’t just attend either, they were also encouraged to serve, from leading music to reading the Bible and praying. “It’s a great stepping stone,” Cooper explains. “A lot of youth who aren’t normally involved had opportunities to serve one another. That’s discipleship in action.”
Why this matters
Behind every story like this, there’s PYNSW staff, volunteers, and supporters making it possible, providing training, administration, insurance, speaker support, and event coordination that allow regional youth leaders to focus on ministry, not logistics.
“I was surprised by how much support PYNSW provided,” says Cooper. “Finding speakers, helping with registrations and payments, it made everything easier. It means new leaders can pick up where others left off. That ongoing support is really valuable.”
Your support of PYNSW can help ensure camps like Hunter PY continue to thrive, helping churches reach the next generation with the gospel.
“The church won’t survive if we’re not investing in the next generation,” Cooper says. “Most people come to faith before Year 12. Camps like this are where discipleship and evangelism happen intensely and memorably. They help young Christians feel like they belong, and they give non-Christians space to hear the gospel clearly.”
“If we don’t invest in what they believe and how they live out their faith, who will?”
Partner with PYNSW
When you give to PYNSW, you’re not just funding events. You’re fuelling gospel partnerships across regions, helping leaders disciple young people, and ensuring the next generation continues to hear and respond to God’s Word.
Let’s keep investing together in young lives across NSW, generation to generation.
