In an effort to ensure the facts are reported accurately, we wanted to reiterate what was communicated to a reporter at the Newcastle Herald this week regarding their story of injuries at a Hillsong Youth Summercamp.

Contrary to what was reported, no youths were injured in a ‘mosh pit’ setting. In fact, several young people were treated by an on site medical team and Newcastle ambulance authorities for heat exhaustion due to hot weather conditions- common to a summercamp setting. One youth complained of neck pain due to a fall sustained after fainting – she was taken to hospital for observation and released the next day, though there were no spinal injuries as reported.

Comprehensive risk assessments are done prior to each camp and Hillsong Church and Hillsong Youth are committed to the ongoing safety of all young adults in our care; following strict Work Health and Safety guidelines, including the external hire of medical professionals at each of our 4 summer camps, and the provision of ample amounts of water . It is paramount that we create a healthy and safe environment for young people. To some, the presence of helicopters and ambulances may have been overkill, though our position is that you can never be too cautious when it comes to the treatment and observation of young people; and we thank the medical teams involved for their swift response and diligence.