YEC Sustainability Camp 2025
During the first week of the school holidays, the annual Youth Environment Council of SA (YEC) Sustainability Camp was held at Arbury Park Outdoor School in Bridgewater. Education Officers from Green Adelaide with the assistance of staff from the school and guest Environmental Education Coordinator from the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board collaborated to deliver a program for YEC members to connect with nature, challenge themselves and think deeply about their environmental goals for the year.
A total of 48 members engaged in a range of both outdoor and indoor activities to build their skills as young changemakers, link learning to real world practice, and develop and plan their environmental projects.
This year we changed the program to include a selection of activities based around project themes (which included plants, animals and land; water, marine and coast; climate change; and community) and leadership (public speaking; activism, advocacy, civics and citizenship; circle of influence, bringing people along; and project and event management). Members chose two activities from each of the streams based upon their interests or skills they wanted to improve on. In each session, the members were also encouraged to reflect upon how the activities could be used to enhance or support their projects.
A particular highlight of the camp was the Kaurna engagement activity with Walking Together with Kaurna. Members learnt about Aboriginal culture and connection to Country from Kaurna man Drew Kilner who shared stories and showed various tools and culturally important items, and Liesl von der Bosch led members through a number of Aboriginal children’s games.
Other activities the YEC members undertook included guided bush walks, orienteering, a nighttime frog hunt (where we saw a threatened frog species), a seed propagation and Landcare activity, and a fun mission survival challenge.
The camp was rounded out by a quiz night and talent show, and plenty of free time with opportunities to form friendships and learn from other members experiences and past projects.
Now the camp is finished, members will be working on their chosen projects throughout the year and will come together at the end of the year to share them and celebrate their achievements.
A total of 48 members engaged in a range of both outdoor and indoor activities to build their skills as young changemakers, link learning to real world practice, and develop and plan their environmental projects.
This year we changed the program to include a selection of activities based around project themes (which included plants, animals and land; water, marine and coast; climate change; and community) and leadership (public speaking; activism, advocacy, civics and citizenship; circle of influence, bringing people along; and project and event management). Members chose two activities from each of the streams based upon their interests or skills they wanted to improve on. In each session, the members were also encouraged to reflect upon how the activities could be used to enhance or support their projects.
A particular highlight of the camp was the Kaurna engagement activity with Walking Together with Kaurna. Members learnt about Aboriginal culture and connection to Country from Kaurna man Drew Kilner who shared stories and showed various tools and culturally important items, and Liesl von der Bosch led members through a number of Aboriginal children’s games.
Other activities the YEC members undertook included guided bush walks, orienteering, a nighttime frog hunt (where we saw a threatened frog species), a seed propagation and Landcare activity, and a fun mission survival challenge.
The camp was rounded out by a quiz night and talent show, and plenty of free time with opportunities to form friendships and learn from other members experiences and past projects.
Now the camp is finished, members will be working on their chosen projects throughout the year and will come together at the end of the year to share them and celebrate their achievements.
