By Garry Sanossian
In the small New South Wales town of Dareton, home to just 456 residents, sits the Dareton Youth and Community Centre – a place with a story that stretches back through generations.
Clinton Waters is the current Chairman of the Centre, but his connection runs much deeper.
His great-grandma’s advocacy for Indigenous people in the 1940s planted the seed of what is now the Dareton Youth and Community Centre.
“My great-grandfather was a Church of Christ Minister placed at the Dareton Church in around 1940,” explains Clinton.
Vi and Ted Waters with their children.
When Clinton’s great-grandfather Ted passed away just a few years after arriving in Dareton, his wife Vi made the significant decision to remain at Dareton. It was during this period that she became more acutely aware of the conditions facing local Indigenous people.
Clinton remembers how his great-grandma would recount her experiences of this period. “She began to notice the conditions the local Indigenous people were living in. At the time, they were living in humpies, which are makeshift shelters traditionally constructed from branches and bark by Aboriginal peoples, but during this period often cobbled together from materials scavenged from the local rubbish tip,” Clinton says.
“She knew something needed to be done to help them and engaged with them, treating them as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Without her husband Ted at the helm, Vi had persistently prayed for a new minister dedicated to the Dareton community. Eventually God answered with the arrival of pastors John and Ruth Saulo. Little did Vi know, pastor John would go on to take her work in the Indigenous community and significantly expand it; establishing the Dareton Youth and Community Centre (DYCC) that stands today, with the funding and backing of Global Mission Partners.
Vi spent years building relationships, advocating for support and helping the Indigenous community. While she did meet John and Ruth Saulo before she passed in 2008, she never saw the first dedicated community Centre, which was built and opened in 2016.
Vi with her sons Peter (left) and John (right).
Clinton says her influence fundamentally shaped the Centre’s mission, reflected in their guiding principle ‘Believe in Yourself’ and their aim to help young people ‘innovate, inspire and shine.’
Clinton with his family.
“Great Grandma was the embodiment of belonging, love and purpose. She did not treat the Aboriginal people any differently to non-Aboriginal people.”
Clinton said her approach went beyond simple assistance. “She went out of her way to ensure they knew that she valued them as friends and deeply cherished the relationships she had with many of the families. She saw these relationships as two-way and not that she was just helping them.”
Marking 50 years of Vi’s dedicated service to the Aboriginal community of Dareton.
Clinton believes this mindset continues to influence the Centre today. “She always encouraged those who were pursuing their purpose and sought to assist them where she could,” he adds.
“Although she was not directly involved in the establishment of the Centre, her legacy lingers through the principles she instilled in her kids, grandkids and great grandkids as well as those she impacted in the community.”
Dareton Youth and Community Centre building.
Kids sharing a meal at DYCC.
Since the Dareton Youth Centre has been in town, locals say things have changed for the better. “The feedback from the community has been that in the last 10 years, there has been a drastic improvement in the general atmosphere of the town,” Clinton recalled.
“The kids in particular seem to be much happier and have more confidence. I believe that the Centre has been a key part of this change.”
After Pastor John retired, the Centre found another passionate person, Ilker Deli, who now serves as the youth worker and the only paid staff member (funded by Global Mission Partners). Today Ilker sees 15 to 25 young people each day, four days a week, always ensuring “there’s always something warm cooking” and that every child knows “they’re always welcome”.
His approach focuses on “respect for themselves, for me and for their friends”. The transformation he witnesses is powerful. “When new young people first arrive, they often test boundaries,” he explained. “But once they realise, they’re in a place where they’re genuinely respected and where respect is mutual, you see their whole demeanour begin to shift.”
Ilker Deli, the DYCC’s Youth Worker.
Today, Clinton carries forward Vi’s legacy in remarkable ways. Just as his great-grandmother listened to the community and understood their real needs in the 1940s, Clinton’s team continues that tradition of genuine engagement. “We have been approached by one of the Indigenous ladies in the community who has asked us if we still have a Sunday School at the Church,” Clinton shared.
“She remembers her time at Sunday School fondly and believes that most of the kids would come if we had one.”
Currently, the Centre offers a diverse range of programs including art, cooking and music education with recently donated instruments. These programs provide more than just activities; they create a safe space where young people can develop a sense of belonging and purpose.
Clinton believes the Dareton story might inspire a broader movement for reconciliation and understanding across the nation. “I have had a sense from God that the story of Dareton might be something that sparks that flame in others around the country to be seeking a better understanding about the history, trauma, culture and most importantly the future of our relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples,” he says.
The Dareton Youth and Community Centre represents a successful model of community-led transformation. From Vi Waters’ early advocacy to today’s vibrant programs, the Centre demonstrates how, through real connection and deep listening, local efforts can create meaningful, lasting change, for Aboriginal communities facing significant challenges.
Through Global Mission Partners, the Dareton Youth and Community Centre has hosted immersion trips for visitors and has partnered with churches who have contributed to the Centre through short-term ministry trips, renovation projects, and financial support. If your community may like to explore contributing to this ministry, you can reach out to Clinton at clinton@a2zav.com.au and Nick Wight, National Manager of Indigenous Ministries Australia, at nick@gmp.org.au
