We’ve all been doing it tough of late. And while it’s easy to get caught up in all the challenges we all have, it feels really good to be able to give back to a local community group that has also been doing it rough.

During our COVID closure we featured an interview with Farmer Dave from RuffTRACK, a local group with an awesome youth program. RuffTRACK take on young people between 13-17 who have disengaged with the world around them and give them skills, education, a sense of self worth by reconnecting them with their community and making a real change in young people's lives.

​What we love is, each young person is given the responsibility of a dog to bond with and care for. That partnership takes them on a journey of learning responsibility, caring for others and communicating without violence. The team then travels the country demonstrating their skills and giving them purpose and a reason to give life a serious go.

The young crew learn about dog training, dog sports, horticulture, landscaping, welding, fabrication, animal husbandry, wood work, driving and licence attainment, carpentry, mechanics, bushcraft, domestic skills, nutrition ,physical education, effective communication, conflict resolution, building healthy relationships..... and a whole lot more! Punch Love member & program support worker, Georgia Cherrie absolutely loves her job. ‘ The best part of the program is watching opportunities open up for them. They get opportunities that they just wouldn’t normally have as a disengaged youth. I love that we really change peoples lives”.

The RuffTRACK team have been doing it tough. COVID has seen the cancellation of programs and events like the Easter show and Ag shows around the country that they would normally train their dogs for. Like many of us, they too are struggling to find a new normal and a sense of purpose in their daily routine.

As we all know, there is nothing better than a good dose of bag therapy to get us mentally and physically reconnected. Along the way we have donated a bag and some gloves, but last week the RuffTRACK youths, farmer Dave and Georgia joined us in studio for a boxing master class with boxing coach Mick Pritchatt. The group were full of energy and eager to try everything Mick threw at them. They could be heard chattering as they headed back to the farm’ he said my hooks are the best… my jabs were on point…. I nailed it… I’m stuffed LOL. Everyone had fun and a little birdie tells us the team were very calm & focused when they got back to RuffTRACK - everyone loves some bag therapy ;)