Girls take leap of faith in challenge

By Jade Lawton
GIRLS are facing their fears and learning lessons in life, trust and courage, thanks to a new program.
The Going Up program encourages girls to discuss their fears and then act on them in a caring and safe environment.
The program, run by ROAM Adventures, involves four preparation discussions before the girls tackle the swaying ropes of the Possum Fly and the final challenge, the ‘leap of faith’.
Nine Year 8 and Year 9 girls from Narre Warren South P-12 College participated in the program.
The ropes course provided some challenges; the girls were shocked at the height of the course.
They had to rely on others guiding them as they made their way through the obstacles, meaning they had to work as a group and foster trust in one another.
The school’s student welfare coordinator, Rosemary Chapple, said the program was an important part of the school’s focus on life skills.
“The girls get a real high, a real adrenaline buzz from completing the program,” said Ms Chapple.
“The fact that you’ve got homework, a detention, or can’t get on to MSN for a few hours is really put in to perspective after a challenge like this,” she said.
This is the third Going Up program at the school.
Initially it was planned as a warm-up for the school’s Wilderness Expedition, but it has since become popular in its own right.
The program is a valuable addition to the school’s curriculum, which includes similar initiatives such as BLAST for boys and SPUTT (Solving Problems Using Thinking Therapy.)