Kids’ Community Action Bootcamp |

Kids’ Community Action Bootcamp is a one-week creative leadership and social change incursion program for Grade 5 and 6 students.

This step-by-step program empowers students to take the lead in identifying issues they care about, and driving the projects to make the change they want to see.

Aligned with the Victorian F-10 Curriculum, students will look outside themselves to practice volunteering, leadership and entrepreneurial skills, and inside themselves to build empathy and resilience.

How will it look in my school?

Kids Thrive will embed creative facilitators in each school for a full week, working intensively with grade 5/6 students and their teachers. Students step outside their daily schedule during this time, immersing themselves in action- based, real-life learning. They will:

After the incursion, students will deliver their projects with their community partners, supported by their teachers and school community.

What will the outcomes be?

Bootcamp has been delivered in metropolitan and regional schools throughout Victoria. Evidence shows that the program:

Increases students’ educational engagement
Develops their motivation and capacity to lead community change
Expands their personal and social capabilities
Builds safe and supportive community pathways

These are all factors known to build young people’s resilience.

Bootcamp is based on Kids Thrive’s award-winning Kids as Catalyst six-month primary school leadership and resilience program.

Kids as Catalyst won the 2017 VicHealth Award for improving mental wellbeing and has been positively evaluated by the University of Melbourne’s Jack Brokhoff Child Health and Wellbeing Program.

Full program details

Snack and chat!

Part of the Bootcamp program asks students to network with community leaders and panellists after their presentation on Pitch Day. Here they are turning on the charm in their bid for funding during the ‘Snack and chat’ part of the day!