Jayne Wild and Gary Latham run the stylish Wild Life hair salon in Surry Hills. The salon has partnered with Oasis to give makeovers to young people who are preparing for job interviews through the Salvation Army’s ‘Get Skilled for Work’ program.
“We live and have our salon in Surry Hills so we see kids on the streets everyday,” says Jayne. “It’s all very well giving money but we realized we could do something practical for them, something hands on. So they come in before their job interviews, we do their hair, maybe a bit of makeup and we’ve even taken them shopping to get an outfit as well. Its lovely to see the transformation and the confidence coming through. To me it’s priceless."
"There have been a few boys who weren’t willing to let go of their rats tails,” chuckles Gary. “I told them, cut if off, get the job and then you can grow it back. Once you get a job you can bring a bit more personality to it, you just don’t want to hit them up front with that ‘boys from da hood’ look!
Jayne’s favourite aspect of having the kids in the salon is getting to know them better and gaining insight into their lives. “We call the salon chair the ‘chair of truth’ because people often really open up when they’re getting their hair done,” she explains. “Some of the kids have told us their stories and you feel so honoured they can share that with you. You realize how lucky you are!"
Both Gary and Jayne feel confident the help they provide goes far beyond just a figurative band-aid. "We’re helping them to help themselves - it’s not just spoiling them," says Jayne. "We want them to get on in the world. It’s a big bad world out there so if we can do something small like get them looking good so they go out there and be more confident, it’s a thrill. Quite a few have got jobs, and we like to think we have played a small part in that."
