Wildcraft and Wild Beings present……
The SUMMER Be Wild Village Gathering
16-19 January
The BE WILD VILLAGE GATHERING is full. Put your name down on the waiting list by emailing wildcraftaustralia@gmail.com with your preferred accommodation option. Those who have been in touch with Nikki can finalise their booking.
There are still a few Mentor spots available – if you are good with kids or adults, are bush savvy, like sharing your skills, and are happy to meet kids where they are at then book in below. Mentors camp onsite. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Held at Wangat Lodge nestled in the rainforest at the base of the Barringtons, near Dungog.
Adventures, sit spots, group activities, alone time, bush skills, sharing circles, crafts, songs, dance, music, story, physical challenges and more, with everything optional.
The idea is to relax our shoulders, be ourselves, become part of a village, and feel alive and well. It is about respecting ourselves, each other, kids, elders, our ancestors, the earth, everything and finding a way to live and let live with a little wildness thrown in. The hope is that we all get to experience what it feels like to live in community, to learn new skills and to be a creative part of this amazing ecosystem we all live in.
Overview
This is a 4 day gathering, starting with a welcome circle on the first evening straight after an early dinner. Day 2 and 3 have morning adventures for kids, skills for teens, and activities for adults. Families reunite for lunch and then a crafternoon activity will be on offer for all, followed by a fireside sharing after dinner, finishing with a Teen space in the later evening. The final morning has a shorter adventure/challenge on offer, mostly for kids and Teens followed by a closing circle for the whole village, finishing just before lunch.
Each day, school aged kids can go on morning adventures with the support of experienced mentors and have a break from their parents. Teens can push themselves, learn new skills and mentor the younger ones if they chose to. Adults can learn new bush crafts and skills, connect and have time to do their own thing. Bubs and toddlers can join the Roo and Joey group with their carers and either go adventuring or hang with the adults group.
In the evening we gather as a village to celebrate the day’s journey at our fireside sharing – each night with a different focus. This usually includes a story telling night, song night and a drama night. One night includes a night challenge.
The Teen space after this is a chance for teens to hang out a bit longer and connect, play games, and challenge themselves.
Bush Skills
Here are some possible skills that we will be sharing with both adults and kids. Awareness, bird language, tracking, shelter building, fire by friction, weaving, making rope from nature, knots, camouflage, natural movement, whittling, bow making, tool making. What we actually cover will depend on who comes and what peoples interests are.
How it works
We encourage everyone to tap into what brings them alive and bring that to the village with a culture of acceptance, support, flexibility and flow.
The village consists of smaller groups aka ‘clans’. Each clan takes responsibility for one of the basic needs of the village each day to keep things functioning. This can involve things like collecting firewood, filling up tubs with hot water for washing up, tidying up, and serving dinner. Clans are also the space for communication, creating short feedback loops so we can deal with things as they arise. The village is supported by an amazing team of mentors. These mentors are people who care for the earth and those on it, who have capacity to support parents, children, and the village, to help everyone function from their best state.
AGE SPECIFIC DETAILS
Children (aka ‘Wildlings’)
- ‘Roo and Joeys’: (A ‘Roo’ is an adult with any ‘pouched’ children (Joeys’) ie children who want their carer close by, so this is generally kids 0-4 years and any others who want the support of their carer): The ‘Roo and Joey’ program is a flexible one, as we know how hard these early years can be and everyone’s needs are different. Generally, it involves nature-based activities close to the main hub with some short adventures. Roo and Joeys sometimes happens right next to the adults program so adults have a chance to join with the skills or activities on offer if their little one is happy hanging with the other Joeys. Adults can take their ‘Joey’ on the adventures with the older kids if that would suit them better.
- Bounding Joeys: These are those kids (often around 4 years old) that are nearly self-sufficient, that still have some life lessons to learn e.g bit wobbly when in challenging terrain, still finding about water and swimming, still mastering the toileting adventure. For safety and care, 4 year olds can join the older kids on their morning adventure with their carer within easy reach. There may be times when the child feels safe and supported where their carer can have some time out.
- ‘Saplings’ (5-12 years) Each morning adventures will be offered and supported by a skilled team of mentors with opportunities for wild play, earth skills, movement and awareness. According to ability and interest, there will be increasing levels of difficulty and challenges.
- Young Warriors (Tweenagers, Teenagers 11-14 years)
The opportunity to learn key earth skills with challenges (fire, shelter, tools and crafts, stalking, ‘hunting’, navigating, and ecological knowledge) aimed to build confidence, awareness, and a sense of growth and accomplishment and place in the village. After the evening fireside a Tween/Teen space will be on offer and one night there will be a night challenge that Teens and Tweens can participate in. - Warriors – Teens 15 years +
Older teens, usually being stronger and more capable at looking after themselves and others, have capacity to flow in between the worlds of adult and child. Older Teens are welcome to join the adult program or join in the kids adventures and even take on a mentor role, supporting the younger kids as they learn about the world. Teens can also pick a particular bush skill that they would like to delve into, such as whittling, fire by friction, rope making, weaving, shelter building and make that part of their morning. After the evening fireside a Teen Space will be on offer with chat space, games, fun and challenges..
Adults
This includes Wanderers (adults without children), Village Trees (parents/carers) and Elder Trees (grandparents/elders):
On days 2 and 3 an adults program will be on offer for 1-2 hours while the Wildings are adventuring. Adult morning activities includes things like movement, sit spots, mindfulness, skills, sharing circles and walks. Then in the afternoons a bush skill or activity will be on offer – the crafternoon that adults can join in with their family. Adults are also welcome to share skills and co-create with the village. A night challenge will be on offer one night for adults and teens.
OTHER ROLES:
Mentors
Mentors are the glue that makes these camps so powerful and nourishing. They are involved in the generally running of the program, taking care of the village and for making things fun. During the morning adventures the mentors support the Wildlings to learn, grow, explore, express, create and reach their potential. Mentors can offer a crafternoon skill of something they are interested and passionate about. In the evening, mentors help the village celebrate the day by encouraging story, humour, song, music, movement at the evening fireside. And after fireside mentors can support the adults and older children in sharing circles and a night challenge.
If you are reading this and thinking I would like to mentor, we’d love you to apply. Mentoring is so rewarding as it fills the missing link for many people in today’s world. It develops your skills, builds confidence, pushes your limits and is a lot of fun. Mentors are what makes the camp thrive.
What do you need to Mentor?
- a general willingness to make the world a better place.
- to be able to camp unless your family books a room.
- to arrive Thursday evening or by 9am Friday Morning latest to connect with the team, get to know the land and to finalise preparations.
- to participate in a morning check-in at 8am, to support the kids for their morning adventure, and participate in a daily debrief.
- Mentors can offer an afternoon craft or activity if they are keen to.
- to stay for a mentor debrief at the end of the program.
- Great if you have a regular sitspot practice.
- Register on the booking page to apply.
Mentors with children under 4 years will need another adult with them to support.
New Mentors price helps cover your training, dinners and camping. If mentors have attended a Wild 101 or have bush skills, outdoor leadership qualifications, WWCC and first aid, or have mentored at a previous camp, they can register as a return/experienced mentor.
Teen mentors
Are you a Teen 15-18 years old who can relate to younger children and help them to explore and learn? Can you do some things like set up a tent, use a knife safely, keep a fire going, collect wood, play acoustic music, sing, make things from the bush? Do you know things about animals, plants, water, soil, rocks, the bush, traditional culture, landscapes, nature? Are you keen to build on your bush skills and take them to the next level? Are you willing to share what you know and like with others? Are you keen to connect with other teens who also enjoy being out in nature? Teens who are independent and savvy can come without their parents. Parents are welcome too. Teen mentors camp with the other mentors unless their family books accommodation.
Teen mentors register via the booking page too.
LOCATION DETAILS
This will be held at the wonderful Wangat Lodge – simple yet comfortable accommodation, situated in a beautiful rainforest setting with amazing swimming holes. Wangat Lodge has 10 bunk style rooms, a hall and commercial size kitchen, deck, outdoor fire circle, BBQ, mountain bike trails, bush walks, abundant wildlife, terrific swimming holes and more.
Food
Dinners will be provided each night. All other meals – breakfast, lunch, snacks are self-catered. Cooking wise there is a commercial kitchen that is well equipped to creating anything your tastebuds desire, as well as an outdoor BBQ and a large outdoor fire. There are 2 large fridges for storing cold items – which usually works out at half a large shelf each. A plastic tote is provided per room for non-perishables to stop the possum from tasting your wares.
Pricing, Access and Inclusivity
We have attempted to keep pricing to a minimum without sacrificing essential resources (particularly our wild team, a number of whom volunteer their time and energy). There is a gift option for those who can donate extra, which will be passed on completely to those who would miss joining in otherwise.
Numbers are limited so best to book early.
If you have any queries, needs or concerns, feel free to get in touch.
Email: wildcraftaustralia@gmail.com
Nikki 0412216485
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