Corporate News

Villawood has once again thrown itself in the deep end with a Kokoda jungle immersion to help change the lives and outlooks of challenged young people.

Villawood’s Victoria Planning Manager Celia Konstas tackled the rugged and sweltering 130km mountain trail with a dozen fellow Geelong Youth Engagement mentors and a dozen teenagers who presented a few challenges of their own.

The about-turn in the kids’ negative attitudes and behaviour, however, driven by the physical and mental achievements of completing the track, as well as their introduction to new experiences, new people and lifestyles, was as startling as it was heart-warming.

The big hurdle, of course, was the course itself. And Celia makes no bones about just how a tough a job it was:

“Would I do it again? Absolutely not but it was truly amazing,” she says, confessing to giving up near the end of the nine-day hike lugging a 15kg across mountain after mountain. Until, that is, she was spurred on by the prospect of a barbecue and sausages reward over the final rise.

Celia joins elite trekkers Mike Treloar, Andrew Duggan and Rory Costelloe who have completed the Kokoda trek in recent years as part of Villawood’s support for GYE.

Each has reported back on the transformation of troubled teens through the Kokoda experience. Shy kids who wouldn’t open their mouth to talk change daily, almost before their eyes, growing in confidence, positivity and their ability to connect with others – in short, turning their lives around for the better.

GYE maintains a close watching and engagement brief with the kids post-Kokoda, some even electing to later work as mentors themselves.

Celia’s a strong advocate for the experience, notwithstanding the heat she felt herself, and vetting Villawood prospects for upcoming Kokoda treks.

“It’s a mental and physical challenge,” she promises. “But you get as much out of it as you put into it and you’ll learn so much.

“Just give it a go, you’ll be fiiiiine.”