MERRI-BEK WEEK 6 TERM 3 2023
Howdy everyone!
The last camp of the program has unfortunately come and gone with this past week :( .
So let's recount what happened during week 6!
On Wednesday the 30th, we gathered the crew and set out to meet the Headspace crew from Glenroy. Gathering at the Glenroy Hub we met with a collection of team members and students who took us through a session focused on stress, awarness of triggers and supports we can put in place to help empty our stress buckets. The Headspace staff were amazing, letting everyone take their time in the discussion and always finding ways to have everyone involved. Throughout out session we got plenty of opportunity for additional supports added to the conversation for outside the program. We continued on our adventures for the day by heading to Coburg Leisure Centre, for a group circuit workout with Phil. It was our last gym-based session for the program, and having students not feeling 100%, it was amazing to see everyone giving the circuit a red hot go! As the onset of fatigue kicked in, at times the weights would drop and the dance moves would kick in! Showing a massive group effort to keep on moving even when we got too tired to push some weights. Everyone portrayed a fantastic improvement towards the end of this program; as instead of sitting down, not participating in some form, or complaining, everyone participated in such a way that did not bring others down, and enjoying the increasing group morale throughout. This was lovely to see and something we hope they take into other situations in their lives for years to come. The group was ready for some well-earned rest in preparation for the next day.
On Thursday the 31st, we gathered at Collingwood station prepared and ready for our last camp. Bus-packed, music at the ready, with chips and lollies we were ready to go on out expedition camp. We headed out to Marysville’s Stevensons Falls, for our 11km hike along the Keppell lookout trail, a massive challenge for our final program assessment. This task focused on leadership, group encouragement, tenacity to see things through, and many other attributes. The group was doubtful and a bit down from the idea of such a hike, so Auri gave the group something to think about when it comes to ‘fun’, being the three stages of ‘fun’.
Type 1 Fun - Was fun the whole time and you’d do it again.
Type 2 Fun - Wasn’t fun while doing it, but you’re glad you did it, whether that’s after the activity is completed or possibly a few days later.
Type 3 Fun - Wasn’t fun at all, would not do it again but possibly in a few weeks, months or years, you’ll look back on it with pride and happiness that you completed it.
With this in mind, everyone made it through the mud and rocky terrain to reach the waterfall no matter the original mindset they had, persevering with the reward of warm food and a hot showers they’d get at the end. Everyone continued on motivated, surrounded by beautiful local plants, trees and wildlife in the process. We hiked our way up the steep terrain, looking out to the 766km drop in front of us taking in the bits of the view we got between the moments of fog and cloud. The view to come at the waterfall was the biggest wow factor, with the vast landscape finally opening up to us with the rushing of the waterfall, we took a minute to take it all in, the reward for our hard efforts so far. By the end of the hike, everyone was more than ready to pack it up and move on to some board games in a warm and cosy house where we would be staying. Finishing the night with some pasta, music, table tennis and multiple intense matches of UNO.
On Friday the 1st we packed up our things and got ready for a day at Healesville sanctuary. The group was more than excited to see the variety of animals at the sanctuary, struggling to pick a direction to start in 😆. Making our way through the massive bird enclosures surrounded by various birds that you couldn’t otherwise see in Victoria. However, the stars of the show had to be the reptiles and the Tasmanian Devils. As the group scurried around with excitement, smiles all around, soon enough it was time to fill up our bellies before heading back to Collingwood station. Ending the day before letting the group go, with discussions around what type of fun they experienced this week, was it stages 1, 2 or possibly 3? Asking them to come back next week with an answer, whilst also highlighting group and individual achievements and progressions made this week. Thus, we ended our last camp with some reflection, and good times and all of us were ready for a well-earned nap.
Everyone showed great progress over these past weeks and all should be proud of what they have accomplished with their own hard work and resilience.
