Outdoor Education

Outdoor Education is a compulsory part of the curriculum for all boys at St Joseph’s College in Years 7, 8 and 9. Students attend a program in a class group for four days in Years 7 and 8, while the Year 9 Program is of five days’ duration. During their time at St Joseph’s each boy will spend about three school weeks in a small group situation experiencing outdoor education activities.

The programs are based at the College’s Outdoor Education Centre in Upper Colo adjoining the Colo River and Wollemi National Park. It is approximately 45km north-west of Windsor. The centre is staffed by highly qualified and experienced specialist Outdoor Education Teachers.

Our programs are focussed on Learning, Growth and Leadership. We use outdoor adventure activities as a mechanism to promote personal and interpersonal development along with a greater connection to the country. Our aim is not to produce good rock climbers, bike riders or expeditioners but to help boys on their journey towards becoming competent, resilient, caring young men. All outdoor activities are designed to incorporate a sense of adventure and challenge. They include orienteering, group problem solving, bushwalking, canoeing, mountain biking, rock climbing, adventure ropes course, bushcraft and expeditions. Equally as important as the outdoor challenges are general life skills such as cooking and cleaning, which are aimed at developing the boys’ self-reliance and independence. Careful sequencing of course content from one year to the next encourages competent development of skills, attitudes, teamwork and independence as the boys develop and mature. During each program students are asked to reflect on the day’s activities so they can draw meaning from their experiences.

During their time at Colo students are accommodated in cabins in small groups. Students take responsibility for the cleaning of the cabins throughout their stay as well as the thorough clean up at the completion of their program. They are also responsible for meal preparation and washing up in the well-equipped kitchen and dining hall. The centre has an excellent range of specialist outdoor equipment to enable activities to be undertaken safely and efficiently. The equipment includes mountain bikes, Canadian canoes, climbing and general bushwalking equipment such as rucksacks, sleeping bags, raincoats and tents. An extensive adventure ropes course has been constructed on site and is utilised at all year levels.

Colo staff are highly experienced and the centre has an outstanding safety record. The program of activities for any group attending Colo may be modified at any time in order to mitigate risks associated with prevailing severe weather conditions such as high temperatures, wind or lightning; or natural emergencies such as bushfires or floods. The Outdoor Education program has been in operation since 1986 without serious injury to students, but despite our best efforts the possibility of an accident always exists. The nature of outdoor activities will always involve an element of risk, inconvenience and uncertainty. The outdoor environment itself is dynamic and unpredictable. There are inherent risks both in the nature of the activities and the environment which cannot be totally eliminated. The College holds the welfare and safety of each student in the highest possible regard, consequently, significant importance and resources are invested in the risk management systems and processes associated with planning and implementing the College’s Outdoor Education program.

Overall, an Outdoor Education program such as this is particularly appropriate as part of a student’s education at St Joseph’s College because it adds breadth and depth to each student’s educational experiences. Outdoor Education can be very effective at developing self-reliance, the ability to work with others, individual responsibility for actions, self-confidence, resilience and personal esteem through experiences not otherwise encountered at the College. Outdoor activities readily reinforce learning related to personal and interpersonal growth and encourage students to do their best irrespective of their ability. It is hoped some of this confidence, attitude and learning may be brought back from Colo and used in their everyday life.