OUR VISION
The Geelong Kokoda Youth Program engages young people from every public State Secondary School in the Geelong region, and we help them work through the challenges they are facing in their lives. The reason for the disconnection can include truancy, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, suicidal tendencies, self-harming, anti-social behavior, family violence.
16 at risk young people are selected to undertake this intensive year long program which involves personal development, fitness, health, diet and most important role modelling with stable and genuine support.
The young people participate in 20 weeks of physical training along with program mentors from local business and government organisations to at the end walk the 96km Kokoda Trek in Papua New Guinea.
The trek also educates the students about the campaign in which the Australian soldiers partook during World War II, motivated by the Kokoda pillars – Courage, Endurance, Mateship, Sacrifice.
OUR HISTORY
The Geelong Kokoda Youth Program concept begun in 2012 and officially started in 2013. The first year saw the program commence with the first 10 students. So far 89 young people have completed the program in the 7 years since its conception, with another 16 selected to participate in 2020.
The program commences in February of every year and whilst the formalities end in December after we walk the Kokoda Track there is no END DATE to the program. The young people can keep in contact with the group as long as they would like after the yearly program concludes. Very often previous young people turn up to events, training, and other occasions in order to have ongoing participation, with the last 2 years past students have returned and participated in the program again as mentors. Young people in the very first program seven years ago still remain in contact with us continuing the ongoing legacy.