Support for Australian Defence Force families.
Who are The Younger Heroes?
About
Younger Heroes provides meaningful Support for Australian Defence Force families by strengthening the bond between parents who have served and the children who grow alongside that service.
Our program is designed specifically for current and ex-serving ADF parents and their children who have experienced periods of separation due to deployments, training, postings or transition. Military life can interrupt routines, shift roles within the household and place pressure on communication. Over time, this can create emotional distance.
We exist to create space for reconnection, improved communication and renewed trust.
Support for Australian Defence Force families through reconnection.
Our approach to Support for Australian Defence Force families is practical, structured and grounded in real-world experience. Set in a calm, natural environment, the program removes everyday distractions and gives families the time and guidance needed to focus on one another.
Across three days, parents and children participate in guided conversations, practical workshops and shared activities. These experiences are carefully designed to help families rebuild connection in a way that feels safe and achievable.
Time away from technology allows genuine presence. Shared challenges encourage teamwork. Structured discussions open the door for honest communication.
Through this process, families lay the foundation for long-term resilience.
Strengthening Bonds
Building Resilience
Communication
Encouraging Teamwork
A breakthrough approach to support for Australian Defence Force families.
The Younger Heroes program was developed by professionals who understand both family dynamics and the realities of Defence service. Our model of support for Australian Defence Force families focuses on strengthening the critical bond between returned servicemen and women and their children, particularly those aged 8 to 15.
This stage of childhood is formative. Patterns of communication, trust and emotional regulation are still developing. Early support can shape healthier relationships well into adulthood.
Rather than focusing on deficits, we focus on strengths. Families are encouraged to recognise what is already working and build from there. Small improvements in communication can create lasting change in support for Australian Defence Force families.
Our mission is simple and clear: strengthening families.
A dedicated team behind our support for Australian Defence Force families.
Our program is supported by a multidisciplinary team of practitioners from psychology, sport, business and the military, including those with Special Forces experience. This depth of expertise ensures that our Support for Australian Defence Force families is both compassionate and practical.
Facilitators understand the culture, language and pressures of Defence life. Families are met with respect, not judgement. Guidance is structured but never overwhelming.
We are committed to creating a nurturing environment where parents and children feel safe to share experiences, learn new skills and reconnect.
Connection at the centre of Support for Australian Defence Force families.
Connection sits at the heart of everything we do.
Our model of Support for Australian Defence Force families combines physical activity, group interaction and shared experiences. Families step outside their usual roles and work together in new ways. Through teamwork and manageable challenges, trust begins to rebuild.
The technology-free environment enhances presence and focus. Without screens competing for attention, conversations deepen. Participants practise qualities such as respect, honesty, integrity, courage and confidence in real time.
Every family who participates becomes part of a broader Younger Heroes community. Weekly communications help maintain connection beyond the program itself. Families remain supported and linked into a network that understands their journey.
Building resilience through support for Australian Defence Force families.
Resilience grows when people face challenges together.
Our Support for Australian Defence Force families is designed to help parents and children build perspective and confidence through shared accomplishment. By overcoming obstacles as a team, families strengthen their collective identity.
Parents learn practical tools to support their children emotionally. Children gain a clearer understanding of their parent’s service experience. Both leave with renewed trust and stronger communication skills.
The goal is not short-term motivation. It is long-term relationship strength.
Defence service requires sacrifice, but it should not cost families their connection. Through structured guidance, professional support and meaningful shared experience, Younger Heroes delivers lasting Support for Australian Defence Force families across Australia.
We are here to help families reconnect, rebuild and move forward together.
The ‘technology-free’ program is specifically designed to enhance trust, respect, honesty, integrity, courage, confidence and empowerment. All participants in the support for Australian Defence Force families Younger Heroes programs, including children, parents, professionals and mentors, will join a broader community. Weekly communications will be forwarded into the community network to keep all participants connected.
Our History
Our Team
Our team is dedicated to delivering meaningful Support for Australian Defence Force families within a nurturing environment where knowledge, experience and genuine care are shared openly. We create safe spaces where parents and children can reconnect, rebuild trust and strengthen their bond after the challenges of military service.
At the heart of our Support for Australian Defence Force families is a clear focus on helping participants grow in perspective and resilience. Through guided teamwork, shared challenges and supported reflection, families learn to communicate more effectively and overcome obstacles together, building confidence that extends well beyond the program itself.
Damien Schofield
Founder/Director
Damien Schofield is the Founder and Director of Younger Heroes, an Australian registered charity supporting current and ex serving Australian Defence Force parents and their children.
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Raised in rural New South Wales and the son of a Vietnam veteran, Damien grew up with a firsthand understanding of the pressures military service places on families. That lived perspective has shaped the mission and structure of Younger Heroes from the outset.
His professional background spans high performance sport, rehabilitation, and mental health environments. Over more than a decade, Damien has worked across fitness, recovery, and behaviour change settings, supporting individuals experiencing drug dependence, depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress. He holds an accomplished background in martial arts and performance training, and has worked within elite and high pressure environments requiring discipline, leadership, and accountability.
Between 2017 and 2023, Damien worked in private security roles supporting the Australian Defence Force both nationally and internationally. This experience provided direct exposure to the operational tempo of Defence life and strengthened his understanding of the long term impact service can have on family relationships.
In 2016, Damien founded Younger Heroes to address that gap. Under his leadership, the organisation has delivered programs nationwide since 2017, supporting hundreds of ADF families to reconnect, strengthen communication, and build lasting resilience.
Damien’s leadership style is practical, structured, and values driven. His focus remains on delivering programs that are evidence informed, operationally sound, and grounded in real world family dynamics.
Scott Houston
Director
Scott Houston is a program consultant and Director, and is a former member of the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS). His military experiences have taken him from the battlefields of Afghanistan to the boardroom of his own award winning company Executive Risk Solutions (ERS).Â
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After leaving the SAS in 2003, Scott joined the civilian workforce and gained valuable corporate experience, before starting the solutions-focused ERS in 2008. In 2014 Scott’s business won the Western Australian Business Rising Star award, and in 2015 was awarded Telstra Australian Business of the Year. Scott’s strengths are in his laser focus and unwavering dedication to achieving goals, evident in his great success as a businessman.
Luke "Blue" Andrews
Director
At 23 years of age Luke embarked on the selection process for one of Australia’s elite Special Forces units, a role that sparked his passion for high-performance cultures and excellence.Â
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Over the next decade, Luke honed these skills in Special Operations, and later, transitioned to corporate Australia, armed with an MBA from the University of Queensland care of the prestigious Wandering Warriors MBA scholarship program. Today, Luke leverages his unique background to offer strategic insights and foster a culture of belonging and excellence. Apart from holding a board position with TYH, he is a Program Manager at The Krait Foundation which provides a career readiness program for all current and ex-serving Australian Special Operations Command personnel. He brings a wealth of knowledge and insight into the challenges faced by veterans transitioning from military to civilian life. The combination of serving and growing up in a military family has ensured Blue’s passion for helping both veterans and their families is always burning strong.