Kids on Country™
The Kids on Country™ program builds employability skills for young Aboriginal people by improving wellbeing, teaching life skills, building confidence 'on country' and sparking interest in conservation and land management.
Kids on Country™ Junior Ranger Program is a youth engagement program for Aboriginal High School students aged 14-19, that inspires future careers in conservation and land management, strengthens cultural learning and wellbeing, and supports ongoing engagement in education.
Program Objectives
The Kids on Country™ program uses innovative e-learning tools combined with field studies to deliver the following program objectives:
- To strengthen cultural learning and well-being
- To support ongoing youth engagement in education
- To inspire future careers in conservation land management
- To develop skills, abilities, and strengths of the future leaders of communities
Program Inclusions
This comprehensive program combines e-learning and on-country experiences in regional South Australia and offers participants:
- 1-day induction workshop
- Access and support to complete the associated e-learning program
- 5-day on-country camp facilitated by Nature Foundation, Traditional Owners and industry experts
- SACE Accreditation, Stage 1, Community Program, Area of Learning Self-development, 10 credits
Kids on Country™ camps have a culture-first approach, where participants are afforded the opportunity to grow under the mentorship of senior Aboriginal people, whilst engaging in practical on-country studies in conservation and land management.
More specifically, Kids on Country™ is designed to increase the capacity of young Aboriginal people to build skills and aptitude for personal growth and development, strengthens cultural identity and fosters a desire for learning which positively impacts students’ commitment and capacity for and engagement in education. These components create a comprehensive knowledge base for students that will enable them to apply knowledge and skills learnt in a variety of settings including effectively applying and adapting what they know in new and complex contexts.
Kids on Country™ also describes and demonstrates employment pathways for Aboriginal participants by detailing and workshopping education and training pathways. This process is supported by engaging other Aboriginal conservation professionals and employees in the camp delivery to outline their personal employment journey — to inspire participants and demonstrate what is achievable.
Nature Foundation is committed to providing safe and healthy learning environments during the Kids on Country™ program, which respect cultural diversity and protect all participants from the risk of harm. Our Child Safety Environments Policy is available here and a summary is available here. If you would like further information or have any questions, please contact Nature Foundation on 08 8340 2880 or via [email protected]
Kids on Country™ snapshot
44 camps delivered
since the Kids on Country program commenced in 2016
503 Aboriginal young people
have participated, aged 12-18 years
12 regional & metro high schools
have participated, 1 corporate business and 1 government agency Department of Child Protection school holiday program
120 school staff
attended, approximately 3 per camp
3-4 facilitators & team leaders
from the Kids on Country team per camp, including Youth Programs Coordinator, Youth Programs Officer, Camp Cultural Leader, Camp Conservation Leader and Traditional Owners
14 visiting workshop facilitators
from partner organisations including Working on Country team, Gawler Ranges Aboriginal Corporation, South Australian Arid Landscape Board – Community Landscape Officers
Young participants at Kids on Country camp
Family on Country
The Kids on Country™ team are proud to collaborate with Community and Elders through Family on Country camps.
We can facilitate and work with the Traditional Custodians of our nature reserves to ensure participants can connect with family and country in a culturally safe manner.
Testimonials
The educational benefits of the camp are far reaching. Students gained a lot of knowledge and enjoyment through the dynamic and interesting program delivered by experts in the field.
Further information
For schools and facilitators interested in participating in the Kids on Country™ program, please contact:
Katie Perry
Youth Programs Coordinator
Phone: +61 (08) 8340 2880
Mobile: +61 (0) 433 998 624
For organisations wanting to support the Kids on Country™ program, please contact our Corporate Partnerships team.
You can also help us continue to provide life-changing opportunities for young Aboriginal people by making a donation.