We were so happy to have Kelly Taylor from GYE join us with Violet and Nicolas, two members of the next Kokoda trek in September.

 

Kelly shared that the Geelong Kokoda Youth program engages young people from every state secondary and many of the private schools in the Geelong region, and they help them work through the challenges they are facing in their lives.

 

The young people that are selected, may have a disconnection from their education or facing other challenges that may include mental health struggles, homelessness, drug/alcohol dependencies, anti-social behaviour, or family issues.

 

 

 

The cost per person is $8000 and it is fully funded, supported from many organisations in Geelong.

 

If you are part of the program, you train very hard, over many months before they leave.

 

Nicolas said it get easier each time, and Violet said “I smile a lot more these days.”

The team are taught more about the 36th Battalion and the struggles they had in PNG during WW2.

Approximately 625 Australians were killed along the Kokoda Trail and over 1,600 were wounded.

 

Casualties due to sickness exceeded 4,000.

 

Each young person is given a poppy to place in the cemetery and are given a name of a soldier that lost his life and are encouraged to discover more about that young man that in many instances are not that much older than they are now.

They walk 120 k in 9 days, they carry a 16kg pack on their back, in 100 % humidity. no phones are allowed, they have a 04:45 wakeup call each day, and only 1% of Australians have walked Kokoda.

What an interesting presentation, and we look forward to having Kelly, Violet, and Nicolas join us again when they return.

 

Wonderful program, and happy that Bayside contributes in a small way