We had a massive day today — and it’s one our young people won’t forget in a hurry.
Six young people from our in-school and community mentoring programs, alongside 12 Buckets staff (including our CEO, Larissa), were invited to Government House and had the honour of meeting His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM, Governor of Western Australia.
When we arrived, a few of our young people were understandably nervous — one quietly said, “I don’t belong here.”
We were welcomed into the Royal Room and seated together at a long table, surrounded by striking portraits of the Royal Family. We were told that just the week before, the King and Queen of Denmark had sat at the very same table.
But the message from the day was clear: this is a place for everyone.
The Governor and his staff made us feel genuinely welcome, and we were so proud of how confidently our young people carried themselves. We had a tour of the Grand Ballroom and other parts of Government House — a rare chance to step inside a place many of our young people had only ever seen from the outside.
The Governor shared a story from his own life that really landed. One of his first jobs was as a young police officer patrolling the grounds of Government House — and he said that not in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would one day live there. It was an inspiring reminder for our young people that your starting point doesn’t define your future.
As we were leaving, each young person was given a “royal” chocolate freckle to take home. Then came the best part: they asked if they could roll (or run) down the big grassy hill outside. The answer was yes — and they absolutely made the most of it.
One of the boys grinned and asked, “Can we live here?!”
We loved the chance to share the work we do with the Governor, and we’re grateful for how warmly he welcomed our young people.