Year 9 Wandering Spirit Program

What is Wandering Spirit?

Wandering Spirit is a compulsory year-long Year 9 program that provides opportunities for students to learn more about who they are, how they connect with the people and natural world around them, and who they would like to be, moving forward into their adult life.

It is a program that celebrates belonging, authenticity, excellence and imagination, providing opportunities to thrive, shine, evolve, connect and initiate.

Why?

Our students’ lives are busy and, at times, challenging. As they transition into adulthood, they are learning to juggle the complexities of peer and parent relationships, demanding schedules, technology challenges and the desire to be more independent. Developing strategies to support physical, emotional, social, mental and spiritual health is imperative at this age.

“Wandering Spirit is not just about navigating the wilderness; it’s about navigating the unexplored territories within yourselves,” says Daviegh-Delilah, a now Year 10 student who undertook the Wandering Spirit program in Year 9.

This opportunity the school is providing to our children is absolutely fantastic. Allowing them to be mindful rather than having a mind full has got to be a step forward in the approach to good mental health in this challenging world. There is a lot to be said about ‘stopping to smell the roses.

Year 9 Parent

Wandering Spirit Intentions

  • Develop stronger and deeper connections with peers and significant adults.
  • Increase independence.
  • Improve understanding of personal strengths, sense of self and vision of self, moving forward into adult life.
  • Deconstruct schedules and provide opportunities to enjoy technology free time.
  • Evolve tool kit to self-care, supported by their natural environment.
  • Develop emotional and social awareness.

How will they achieve these intentions?

  1. Pastoral Care – Students will engage in a year-long Belonging program supported by their Head of Year, Homeroom teachers and the Wandering Spirit Program Leaders. This program will provide opportunities to develop and practice skills learnt.
  2. Curriculum – Students will be exposed to topics and material across different learning areas that will support their Wandering Spirit journey. For example, in Health they learn about other countries and what challenges they may experience in accessing health care and education. In Belonging, they learn about different rituals and celebrations across the world.
  3. Wandering Spirit / Character Education Connect Program – A series of activities that provide an opportunity for students from St Hilda’s and Hale School to collaborate and develop a healthy understanding of respectful relationships.
  4. Significant Adult Participation – Significant adults are an integral part of the Wandering Spirit program. There will be an opportunity for each parent/guardian/significant adult in a Year 9 student’s life, to participate in an activity hosted at St Hilda’s after their retreat. We also encourage significant adults to attend the farewell ceremony for their child as they leave for their retreat.
  5. Yeagarup Retreat – the retreat is held at our Yeagarup campus in Pemberton. Without the distraction of technology, students are provided the opportunity to ‘digitally detox’ while exploring themes such as:
    • Community values
    • Personal identity
    • Personal strengths
    • Respectful relationships
    • The natural world
    • Goal setting and future vision
    • Honouring yourself and others

A Safe Space

Our goal is to construct and facilitate a safe space and environment for them to:

• Undergo a process of self-reflection, discovery and development about who they are and who they wish to be as young adult
• Identify challenges that could or are holding them back from reaching their potential and create strategies to deal with them
• Gain critical social and emotional competence so they can build healthy relationships
• Realise their potential to take on leadership roles
• Be inspired to dream big and live a life of their choosing

Thank you very much for providing such a wonderful experience for the girls, in the Wandering Spirit Program.

Our daughter had heard from previous groups that the Wandering Spirit camp was great, but it truly exceeded her expectations. She said she missed it as soon as she got back!
The opportunity for the girls to bond without the distraction of phones or other normal school worries is critical, as well as a program which builds confidence and relationships. This is the perfect age and stage to do this, and particularly for my daughter it couldn’t have come at a better time.