High School Immersions

High School Immersions

Red Earth have been connecting high school students to First Nations people for over 12 years

Connect with 65,000+ years of culture for an experience like no other.

  • Grades 9, 10 and 11 are the most popular year levels travelling, although we can tailor to all year levels, and run Immersions for whole grades, replacing school camps.
  • Our Immersions correlate with the Australian curriculum framework (please ask us about our program curriculum links)
  • High school groups often have shared goals of providing life changing experiences to students in which they can connect directly to themes around social justice, service learning, community and more
  • We know lived experiences are at the core of learning and connecting to these themes
  • We know youth groups are transforming into the leaders of our future
  • We are ready to hear how we can continue to take your groups on a journey of a lifetime

How the Red Earth Immersion Aligns with Duke of Edinburgh:

  • Voluntary Service: The community service component of the Red Earth immersion aligns directly with the service requirements for all levels, particularly at Gold, where longer-term service is required.
  • Adventurous Journey: The immersive nature of the experience, with outdoor challenges and planning elements, fits well into the Adventurous Journey requirements at all levels.
  • Residential Project (Gold only): For Gold participants, the Residential Project requirement is met by the cultural and community-based immersion, where students live and work within a new environment for several days.
  • Skills/Physical Recreation: Depending on the specific activities, students can count their experience toward either Skills or Physical Recreation, making the immersion versatile in meeting the Award’s criteria.

Here's an explanation of how a Red Earth immersion to First Nations communities or homelands could fit into the requirements of the Duke of Edinburgh’s (Duke of Ed) Award at the Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels. This will help your students understand how the experience aligns with the Award's various sections, which include: Voluntary Service, Adventurous Journey, Skills, Physical Recreation, and for the Gold level, an additional Residential Project.

1. Bronze Level (For participants aged 14+)

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At the Bronze level, participants complete the following:

  • Voluntary Service (3 months): The service component of the Duke of Ed focuses on giving back to the community. During a Red Earth immersion, students will participate in service projects such as helping build or repair community infrastructure, working with local schools, or contributing to environmental conservation efforts. While the service completed during the immersion may cover part of the 3-month requirement, students can log it as part of their ongoing Voluntary Service hours.
  • Adventurous Journey (2 days/1 night): The immersive experience in First Nations communities typically includes camping, bushwalking, or other outdoor activities in remote areas. This aligns with the Adventurous Journey section, as participants need to plan, prepare for, and undertake an outdoor adventure. The Red Earth immersion could satisfy one of the required Adventurous Journeys for the Bronze level.
  • Skills or Physical Recreation: Depending on the immersion’s activities, students can log time toward the Skills section by learning about Indigenous culture, traditional practices, or bush survival skills. If the immersion includes physical activities such as hiking or outdoor work, it could also contribute to the Physical Recreation section.

2. Silver Level (For participants aged 15+)

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At the Silver level, the requirements are more demanding, and the Red Earth immersion can contribute to:

  • Voluntary Service (6 months): Similar to the Bronze level, students can count their time spent on service projects during the immersion toward the 6-month requirement. Projects that create sustainable impacts on the community, such as environmental initiatives or building projects, will be particularly valuable for this section.
  • Adventurous Journey (3 days/2 nights): The immersive experience in First Nations communities, especially when combined with camping, bushwalking, or other outdoor challenges, would satisfy the Adventurous Journey requirements. The hands-on nature of the immersion fosters teamwork, leadership, and resilience, which are key aspects of this section.
  • Skills or Physical Recreation: Students who gain skills in Indigenous crafts, cultural understanding, or traditional practices can log those toward the Skills section. If physical activities such as bushwalking or outdoor tasks are involved, these could also count toward the Physical Recreation requirement.

3. Gold Level (For participants aged 16+)

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At the Gold level, the commitment is highest, and the Red Earth immersion can significantly contribute to:

  • Voluntary Service (12 months): The service projects undertaken during the immersion, particularly those with lasting impacts on the community (e.g., building infrastructure, educational support, environmental work), can count toward the 12-month Voluntary Service requirement. Students can extend their service beyond the immersion by supporting related causes or continuing their involvement in the community.Similar to the Bronze level, students can count their time spent on service projects during the immersion toward the 6-month requirement. Projects that create sustainable impacts on the community, such as environmental initiatives or building projects, will be particularly valuable for this section.
  • Adventurous Journey (4 days/3 nights): The multi-day nature of the immersion, especially if students participate in planning and leading aspects of the journey, meets the Adventurous Journey requirements. Activities like camping, trekking, and navigation exercises in remote areas would qualify.
  • Residential Project (5 days/4 nights): The Gold level requires participants to complete a Residential Project, where they live and work with others outside their usual environment. A Red Earth immersion, involving staying in a remote First Nations community and participating in cultural immersion and community service, perfectly fits the criteria. The students gain valuable cultural and life skills while engaging in group work in a new environment.
  • Skills or Physical Recreation: As with the other levels, students can apply either cultural learning (e.g., traditional practices) or physical activities (e.g., trekking, bush tasks) toward these sections, depending on the focus of the immersion experience.

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