Our new nature reserve: Mongolurring

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 program uses innovative e-learning tools combined with field studies to deliver the following program objectives:

Program Inclusions

This comprehensive program combines e-learning and on-country experiences in regional South Australia and offers participants:

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.  

Kids on Country snapshot™

31 camps delivered
since the Kids on Country program commenced in 2016
333 Aboriginal young people
have participated, aged 12-18 years
10 regional & metro high schools
have participated, and 1 government agency Department of Child Protection school holiday program
90 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
10 visiting workshop facilitators
from partner organisations including Working on Country team, Gawler Ranges Aboriginal Corporation, South Australian Arid Landscape Board – Community Landscape Officers (3 facilitators per camp)

Young participants at Kids on Country camp

Testimonials

LeFevre High School
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.
- Lina Ruggiero
Aboriginal Education Teacher
LeFevre High School
Read full testimonial

Further information

Katie Perry
Youth Programs Coordinator
Phone: +61 (08) 8340 2880
Mobile: +61 (0) 433 998 624

You can help us continue to provide life-changing opportunities for young Aboriginal people by making a donation.

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