Murray River schoolships help disengaged teens

 A. Core Components

• Vessel Capacity: The river schoolship has 16 student berths and is staffed by two full-time, specially trained teachers.
• Duration: The intensive program runs for one full school term (approximately 10 weeks).
• Focus: The curriculum combines maintenance of existing SACE subjects with specialized Environmental Adventure Challenge Studies focused on the ecology and conservation of the Murray-Darling River.
• Student Enrolment: Students remain enrolled in their home school to comply with education law. Avoca teachers cooperate with the student's home school to ensure continuity of their basic SACE program.
• Activities: The structured schedule includes supervised kayaking (for exercise and reflection), group team-building exercises, and competency development in areas like food preparation and healthy adult living skills.

• The program is managed by specialist mental health teachers to help students recover stability and re-engage positively.
• Technology Management: Students’ mobile phones are managed by teachers and are available only with permission for essential communication, minimizing distraction and addressing the problem of isolation exacerbated by constant mobile use.
• The Logbook: Each student is required to maintain a personal daily Log summary of their time and thoughts. This log is private and confidential between the student and the Avoca teacher/mentor. Disclosure to parents or the home school is solely at the student's discretion.

 A. Judicial Referral

The Avoca Schoolship Program is proposed to the SA Youth Court as a therapeutic and rehabilitative option for young people requiring a significant intervention outside their current environment.

• Referral: Individual teachers or school counsellors may advise parents of this opportunity as a solution for a student's ongoing disengagement or mental health issues.
• Parental Decision: The decision to enrol a child is ultimately made by the parents. Parents request their child's home school to release them for the term to attend the school camp, which is a permitted absence under education law.
• Team Building: Students meet and collaborate with other adolescents facing similar challenges, fostering a positive, mutually supportive peer group.

The "Time Out" program is designed to produce young adults with:

• Enhanced Mental Well-being and Confidence: Recovery from depression and misery, leading to greater mental stability and self-belief.
• Positive Life Skills: Competency in healthy adult living, food/cooking, and balancing work, rest, and recreation.
• Social and Partnership Skills: Strong group team skills and the ability to form positive relationships.
• Educational Re-engagement: A "reboot" of their thinking, leading to a renewed positive path toward their future and continued SACE studies.

Capitalisation and all recurrent expenses for the schoolship operation and student support are paid via DGR tax-deductible donations.

Student Berth Sponsorship:-

• DGR Donation $40,000  
• Naming rights for one student berth (tax claimed over 4 years as a capital donation). 
• Donor name displayed on the bed 

One Bed-night Sponsorship:-

• DGR Donation $110.00 
• Name listed on the donor list, acknowledging the number of bed nights sponsored. 

Community Member Cruise:-

• All sponsors are welcome to cruise with our staff team using an adult berth. 
• Cruising members donate the cost of this fare and claim the receipt on their tax.