A select group of motivated young Western Australians will embark on a lifechanging and challenging journey trekking the Kokoda Track in October this year.
The Y WA, the youth charity formally known as the YMCA, is sponsoring 18 young people aged between 15 to 20 years to trek the famous Kokoda Track to build on their leadership skills, self-esteem and teamwork.
“The Y WA has initiated the Kokoda Leadership and Development Program aimed at developing young people to become aspiring leaders for the future by promoting resilience, teamwork, and a sense of community,” the Y WA CEO Dr Tim McDonald said.
“At the Y we have a vision of providing opportunities for young people to grow in mind, body and spirit, and we continually seek ways to engage with young people to provide the opportunity to grow and flourish.”
Selected across WA from Perth to Kalgoorlie and Newman, this year’s participants have committed to an eight-month program to prepare physically and mentally for the eight-day trek later this year.
Led by Kokoda Courage, the trail will involve trekking 96 kilometres through dense jungle over the Owen Stanley Ranges in Papua New Guinea, with twice-weekly training sessions to prepare for the physically demanding trek.
“We’ve chosen this select group of motivated young people to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity soaking up the rich history of the trail and developing leadership skills to increase their self-esteem, provide an opportunity to grow and flourish and to enhance their futures,” Dr McDonald said.
“The physical and personal experience the young people will gain leading up to and including the main event such as fitness, nutrition, history, cultural immersion, empowerment, self-confidence, teamwork, mateship and courage will have a significant positive impact on them.”
The participants completed a four-day camp in June which marked the starting point of a journey of mental and physical preparation and will attend a training camp in September.
“Our June camp was a great success, bringing all participants together for the first time, half of who are First Nations people. It’s encouraging to now see them all taking part in training sessions at least twice a week in their respective hometowns, ahead of our next camp in September,” Dr McDonald said.
The Kokoda Track marks the location where the Australian Diggers fought in World War II, with Dr McDonald noting it “a special place in Australian history and is a reminder of the Pacific War of World War II and the courage and sacrifices made by soldiers”.
“Teamwork and camaraderie are symbolic of the Kokoda Trek where soldiers had to work together to overcome obstacles and push through,” Dr McDonald added.
“We are so pleased to be offering a group of young people a unique, challenging and rewarding experience to explore some of life’s key principles by following in the footsteps of some of Australia’s most courageous men,” he said.
The trek involves eight days of hiking distances ranging from 12km to 19km per day over a steep and arduous terrain, through rainforest and mountain ranges, and a variety of traditional cultures of the people who live along the track along the way.
“We’re offering these enthusiastic young people access to a leadership development program which promotes flexibility and teamwork. There is no doubt it will have a significant positive impact on each one of them.”
The Y WA acknowledges its current sponsors assisting participants including YACWA, McCusker Foundation, Marteq Energy, Alinta Gas, Roy Hill, the City of Swan, and the City of Kalgoorlie.
In 2019, after more than 175 years in Australia, YMCA voted to rebrand to ‘the Y’. Dropping the Christian Men’s Association part of the acronym reflects the evolution of the brand, which is now a far more inclusive movement that supports everyone, regardless of age, gender, religion, sexuality, or difference and the new logo reflects this shift.
The Y WA is part of the global YMCA movement, the oldest youth organisation in the world (over 175 years old). In Australia, the Y services experience more than 29.5 million annual participations, including 9.84 million child participations and 1.2 million youth participations annually.
By Hearts and Minds
