Motivational speaker Luke Kennedy says he doesn’t just want to be a “bad guy gone good story.”

“There’s plenty of those and they get pretty repetitive after a while,” he said.

“It’s deeper than that, I tell the stories to open them up emotionally and mentally to get that connection.”

“If there’s no story and I’m just up there giving content. I’m just another person trying to tell them what to do.”

Luke was in Coonamble last week to help fire the starting gun on Youth Week at the official launch event organised by Coonamble Shire Council.

Up to 20 local high school students were joined by teachers and council officials at Coonamble Bowling Club on Thursday 11 April.

The former Sydney street gang leader told the students there was a time in his life when he based his choices off labels and what others would think.

It almost cost him his life.

Young people and local service staff from Gulargambone and Coonamble listen to Luke Kennedy at the launch of Youth Week 2024. IMAGE: Coonamble Times

“Two years I was hanging out with this crew. One Friday afternoon in the city, we came across a rival gang member,” he said.

“As soon as this guy sees me coming, he pulls out and unfolds a knife. I had every chance to turn around and take off in the other direction, but I was one of the boys.”

 “What did I do? What all of us do when we’re about to make a decision; jumped in my friend’s head. ‘What’s he going to think? What should I do? Is he going to like me, is he going to judge me?’

“Jumped back in my body, based my choice on what I thought he’d think. Happens like that,” he snapped his fingers.

“I ran straight ahead towards this guy. I jump in, throw a punch. Everything just stops. My friend is fighting his friend. This guy and myself, we’re in like our own world. It was a weird feeling, time slowed down. He was sort of frozen.

“Then I feel this sensation of warm paint going down my back.”

The stabbing left Luke in hospital with a punctured lung. “For what, this rubbish?” he said. “Trying to impress my friends?”

“You have to do what you want. You know you better than anybody else.”

He took questions from the students from Coonamble High School and Gulargambone Central School and workshopped “some simple practices in how to start looking after themselves.”

“There’s a bit of a disconnection between our youth and their happiness and peace,” Luke said.

 “They’re getting away from who they really are deep down by trying to impress their friends, by trying to fit in.”

“By possibly holding on to things that have happened and creating a story behind who they think they should be and how they should act.” 

Coonamble Deputy Mayor and local Clontarf Academy Director, Adam Cohen, encouraged students to raise the issues affecting them during Youth Week.

“Seeing you guys here is fantastic, especially the Gular crew,” Mr Cohen said.

“I’m a big believer of youth having a voice. This is a great opportunity for you guys to get out and raise your concerns, raise your voice, and be a part of this community as much as possible.”

by RIVER MCCROSSEN