Positive Start 2022
As part of the Victorian Department of Education and Training's Support Program, Outward Bound are offering hiking and rafting expeditions down the Snowy River, near Buchan, at zero cost to your students and school.
A typical 5-day / 4-night program near Buchan on the Snowy River can be a hiking and camping expedition with either rafting, caving, abseiling, or rock climbing or a more relaxed restorative week beside the river counting platypus, doing yoga at sunrise and planting trees along the riverbank.
On 7 to 10 day journeys, you can experience all of things on the same program. Overview map of journey here
It's up to you, what do you and your students need right now? A physical challenge full of adventure or time to just breathe, unwind and be present in nature?
Maximum of 200 students + teachers + guides.
Recommended for:
- Years 8 and 9: 5 days
- Year 9: 5 – 7 days
- Year 10: 5 - 9 days
- Year 11: 5 - 10 days
- Year 12 Retreat: 7+ days
Learning through Exploration
Let your student cohort explore their capabilities on an authentic Outward Bound school expedition. A journey of connection to themselves, their peers and the natural world as they disconnect from technology and immerse themselves in adventurous outdoor learning where they’ll reframe obstacles and truly unlock potential.
Practical Problem-Solving
Physical activity, mental agility and the ability to work as a team encourage students to problem-solve in practical ways. Questioning situations and actions, persevering through challenges and showing compassion towards others are also areas of growth and development drawn on through these specific adventures.
Program outcomes are designed to set up students with a greater sense of self and the ability to face the future with confidence, resourcefulness and a determination to succeed.
Growth Opportunities – Risk, Reward, Responsibility
Opportunities for collective and independent exploration will see adolescents discover their inner strength. They will be supported to advance their skills, undertake challenging feats, and demonstrate resilience, courage and compassion.
Physical activities that support risk-taking and curiosity are purposefully scattered throughout the program. Problem-solving and mental agility tasks encourage young adolescents to think outside the box. The scaffolding and support of experienced instructors promotes Outward Bound’s core values of risk, reward and responsibility.
Build Confidence, Initiate and Lead
As students commence higher year levels of study, they will start to think about their career path. We hope the subjects they choose and the personal attributes they aspire to will have been developed on journeys like this. A love and respect for nature. The ability to breathe deeply and relax. The emotional intelligence to deal with people empathetically. The belief in themselves to be strong, agile leaders into the future.
Each programs has specific adventures and activities customised to meet your desired learning outcomes.
They are expedition programs and generally look something like this:
Participants sleep in bivvies (an a-frame shelter open at each end) and cook together on fuel stoves. Toilets are either long-drop or buckets depending on the campsite.
Come prepared and leave energised to tackle anything life throws your way!
Outward Bound will provide:
- All group and specialist equipment such as
- bivvies (an a-frame tarp for sleeping under. Lighter to carry and easier to erect than tents.
- backpacks
- sleeping mats
- cooking stoves and fuel
- helmets if required for climbing, abseiling and paddling
- lifejackets if paddling
- all safety and communication equipment
- Outward Bound no longer supply sleeping bags unless specifically requested (there is a charge for this).
This is your recommended packing list. You can pack all your items into whatever bag is suitable for you, you will need to repack it into the backpack we provide when you arrive. We recommend having only the one, large bag, to avoid losing items. This bag will stay locked up at Outward Bound basecamp.
Wear your expedition clothes on the bus and a keep a change of warm, dry and cosy clothes (and ugg boots!) in your bag for the ride home after your program.
We don’t recommend wearing cotton clothing. It gets wet and cold quickly, and stays that way. Thermals, either synthetic or wool, are much better for school expeditions.
WA & VIC Programs:
Download the Mid Expedition Packing List (incl. water activities)
The recently released Outward Bound International Global Impact Report 2020 revealed the centralizing theme of CONNECTIONS across all regions and 5 CORE OUTCOMES of Outward Bound programs consistent across the worldwide network of Schools. Connections to:
- Self
- Resilience
- Confidence
- Others
- Compassion
- Social Competence
- The Natural World
- Environmental Responsibility
