Our young people really need us…
Friday 21st August, 2020
This week I have felt an almost audible slump in morale throughout the suburbs of Sydney. Yes, we must be grateful that we are not in Melbourne, or other parts of the world. But it does not diminish the impact it has in our local communities, and our young people in particular.
This week Primal Adventures had to cancel all our school holiday adventures for the upcoming September/ October school holidays to comply with new government guidelines. The cancellations were necessary and understandable, but it’s hard not to be disappointed for the 52 kids who were going to join us in various groupings, learning new skills in exciting new locations. Also for their parents who were going to get a bit of time out from the relentlessness of this year.
It may sound trivial in the scheme of things, but our kids are missing out on so much this year. Instead of getting opportunities to be out exploring the wild places, they have been learning new and more addictive ways to navigate the online world. For those poor year 12 students, rather than having some exciting rites of passage ahead that are inclusive of all, they will instead create their own small celebrations. Some will be positive, some not so much. Or worse, sit at home in the seclusion of their bedroom falling deeper into the rabbit hole.
As this anxious period inevitably wanes, more than ever we are going to need to show our young people how to get out into the real world and experience its infinite possibilities and wonders. The virtual and social media worlds will not sustain them or keep them safe. Or for that matter show them the natural consequences that only experiences in nature and the real world can teach.
So… despite these setbacks, we are going to keep planning adventures in the next school holiday window and beyond. Fingers crossed they will go ahead.
We are going to pivot, pirouette, somersault, or do whatever it takes to enable you and your families to get to the wild places and experience all that nature offers. In sunshine and in rain. With the knowledge that one day hopefully soon this will be over.
See you out on the trail soon!
Helen and the team at Primal Adventures