By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Pakenham branch of the Bendigo Bank has combined with Pakenham Secondary College for the latest instalment of a life-changing camp to help mould the next generation of local community leaders.
The bank sponsored two Year 9 students from the school to attend ‘Camp Awakenings’ during the last weekend in August.
Branch Manager Norm Davidson said the sponsorship was part of a commitment to empower young people in the local region.
“The camp provides its participants with a supportive environment to grow and develop,” he said.
“We want to give our youth the best opportunity so they can become the next generation of leaders in our community. Camp Awakenings is focussed on building support networks for the participants through friendship and trust.”
Pakenham’s support is part of a two-year partnership between Bendigo Bank and the Rotary Youth program Camp Awakenings, with support from the Rotary Club of Aspendale.
As part of the partnership, around 30 Bendigo Bank branches sponsor 50 students to attend the camp at Cave Hill Creek Campsite at Beaufort near Ballarat.
Camp Awakenings director Michael Weiser said the camp, which runs over three days, focuses on students with leadership potential.
“During this time, the students participate in team building activities, as well as attend various sessions and presentations on youth related issues,” he said.
“They are challenged physically, mentally and emotionally throughout the program.
Through self-belief, self-respect, a positive attitude and motivation, the participants develop and harness methods, tools and skills to counter the challenges faced by today’s youth.”
Pakenham Secondary College vice principal Emanuel Merambeliotis said the school’s team leaders, year level co-ordinators and classroom teachers came up with a list of names who weren’t necessarily school captains, but “those who need a bit of a hand to get better engaged in the school and broader community”.
This year’s two participants, Josh Belton and Georgia Hillard, were so thrilled with their experiences on the camp that they’ve even volunteered to mentor next year’s intake.
“It teaches you life lessons and how to deal with things that do come at you,” Josh said.
“It’s how to deal with them, and how to help people around you deal with them.
“It wasn’t really about all the activities we did – it was more about the experiences we had.
“It showed me how different my life is than how I saw it.”
