By Matthew Sims
A group of Western Melbourne students have celebrated the end of a 10-day outdoor education program, which saw them develop their life skills and give back to the local community.
A joint initiative of the Outdoor Education Foundation (OEF), the Outdoor Education Group (OEG) and Victoria University, the ‘Together We Grow’ program ran from April 19 to April 28 and saw the 50 14 to 16-year-old students travel to Eildon and Marysville before returning to the west.
The students marked the end of the program with a graduation ceremony at the Footscray Park campus of Victoria University on Thursday, April 28.
The program saw 22 Hume and Brimbank students take part, while 21 Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong students participated.
Participating schools included Sunshine College, Hester Hornbrook Academy, Mount St Joseph’s Girls College, Altona College, Elevation Secondary College, Hume Central Secondary College, Maribyrnong College and Footscray High School.
The program incorporated a bushwalking and camping expedition in Eildon, a stay at a Marysville camp in cabins and a stay in Footscray.
During their time in Footscray, the students participated in a range of community service activities in their local area, including preparing meals for homeless charities through OzHarvest and local tree planting in Wyndham.
The group also spent time at Victoria University to learn more about possible career pathways after they finish their secondary education.
Victoria University researchers have now begun an independent evaluation of the program based on a developmental asset framework.
Victoria University researcher and lecturer in psychology Dr Kara Dadswell said while she could not determine what the evaluation would reveal, the atmosphere at the graduation was “amazing”.
“I am still buzzing,” she said.
“One of the mums came and thanked the OEG representatives and said ‘That boy is not my son’.”
Dr Dadswell said the goal would now be to look at all of the data to assess how the program went.
“We want to look at things that could be improved,” she said.
Dr Dadswell said one of the focal points of the program was to build day-to-day life skills and strengthening the students’ resilience.
The Outdoor Education Foundation is the charitable arm of the Outdoor Education Group, which is the largest provider of outdoor education for school students in Australia.
The foundation has provided camps and expeditions to more than 1000 Victorian students since its creation in 2018.
