Events like the Duke of Edinburgh Award can teach young people many aspects of life, they just need some guidance.
Who introduced you to the bush? Was it family, mates, teachers, youth leaders or outdoor recreation guides? For me, who found the bush in my 20’s, it was a leader at a corporate outdoor training program who inspired me and helped set me up for a lifelong love affair with the outdoors.
I consider it a privilege to work as a guide for the Duke of Edinburgh scheme and to have the opportunity to offer that same type of support to 14-17 year olds. It’s about inspiring them to discover, to learn and connect with nature in meaningful ways.
When I mention Duke of Ed, I’ve seen many adults roll their eyes as they tell me their tales of teenage woe – dark memories from epic adventures with bad weather, navigational errors and sometimes, helicopters. What I find sad, is the ones that then say, ‘Turned me off bushwalking for life’. This leads me to dig to try and figure out what went wrong. Could there have been a better outcome had the logistics, preparation and guidance been different. Invariably, the answer is yes.
It got me thinking. What can we do as parents, friends, aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers, teachers and guides, to truly inspire the next generation to connect with wild places? Here are seven tips for well-meaning grown-ups to inspire the teenagers in our lives and set them up for success with Duke of Ed/school hikes:
Fitness – Work out a plan two months out to slowly build cardio/walking fitness.
Pack Weight – One of the worst things a parent can do is to ‘just add this or that in case they need it.’ (You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen parents put into some packs!) It’s recommended to keep it to around 11-14kgs, but I’ve seen kids turn up with 20kg and they’ve suffered.
Practice with a pack – Do you remember when your own backpack started to feel normal? As as they start to build their fitness, add their backpack and build up the weight gradually. They should also get used to adjusting the straps and the difference this can make.
Hills and Endurance – Chances are your kids are going to have to climb some hills on their expedition. To avoid them being attacked by the “moan-ster” as they ascend, encourage them to climb stairs with their weighted backpack in practice.
The RIGHT gear – When kids are starting out, the school, commercial operator or friends and family often lend them backpacks. This is great for keeping costs low, but I’ve lost count of the number of times the packs are the wrong frame size (causing pain) or so old that they don’t have modern harness systems that help distribute the weight. Do everything you can to get a hold of the pack they’ll be using before hand, check it’s right and practice with this.
The RIGHT shoes and looking after your feet – There’s a trend for kids to want to wear urban style sneakers with no support. It’s just as bad as wearing new boots or hiking shoes that haven’t been worn for a while. So whilst they’re building their fitness, they should also be building a deep and abiding love for their shoes. This will help them avoid blisters which can make any trip miserable.
They’re not going to starve – Yes, yes, I know it can seem as though teenagers can eat through the family’s entire food budget in minutes, but so many of them return with uneaten food (ie. unnecessary weight in their packs). It’s amazing how well they can go on a packet of instant noodles and a sachet of tuna. And definitely, leave heavy tinned food behind.
The truth is that our kids are capable of much more than they realise. Doing things like Duke of Edinburgh hikes can teach mental strength, resilience and endurance. These are great rewards and one of the shining lights of the program. Many adults don't get this stuff until much later in life.
One of the joys is seeing kids who are doing it tough join together and to encourage one another, learning about teamwork and the power of a group. The sense of achievement and accomplishment, is for many of them, more than they've ever done. It truly is inspiring and I call it the bush MBA.
Words_Caro Ryan