Life down under

MARDI DELLER-PUGH, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

The Gap Program provides a wonderful cultural immersion experience at The Geelong College to international school-leavers.

Over the years, we have welcomed many young people from the UK and also South Africa to enjoy time with our students and staff through our Gap Program.

The program is underpinned by a visa arrangement and most program participants (‘Gappies’) stay with us for 12 months - although our ‘COVID-19 years’ saw several variations to this.

Our Gappies participate in a myriad of engaging activities and experiences, all the while, learning about our Australian culture and heritage.

Our most recent Gappies were from the UK: Tom, Harry and Will from Shrewsbury School in Shropshire and Harry from Gresham’s School in Norfolk.

Placed across Junior and Middle Schools, our Gappies participate in classroom activities, providing support to students and teachers. They are particularly active in our Physical Education and Art classes, but also bring their skills to other subject areas including Maths and Humanities.

Our Gappies enjoy attending excursions and camps and we include them in as many experiential learning activities as possible.

It is a mutually beneficial arrangement - the Gappies get to experience our country and meet new people, and our students and staff have the benefit of their presence and enthusiasm for involvement.

We engage the Gappies on a volunteer basis, and provide accommodation, meals, an allowance and a warmly welcoming community.

In return, the Gappies contribute much to the life of our daily routines and enjoy becoming a part of the fabric of our community.

Our four most recent Gappies embraced all that is on offer and showed resilience and adaptation in how they so quickly embraced their new home.

We typically spend the first days of their arrival getting them oriented and inducted into our College, the local community and our time zone.

Their wish list of things to do and see includes of course kangaroos, koalas, a ‘pot and parmi’. Then there are those elusive ‘drop bears’ that they always hear about, but can never actually locate...

Any trepidation over seeing a spider or snake is quickly overcome, and we love watching their evolution as they join our camps and trips to experience all that nature has to offer.

The Top End, Uluru, Healesville and especially our Year 8 Otway Camp are activities always spoken of with much passion and gratitude for the experiences they bring. Being a ‘pseudo parent’ to the Gappies, it is a privilege to provide support and advice to them as they navigate life a long way from home.

We stay connected to their families with check-ins and photos, as we have learned that it is a shared journey in the support and retention of our Gappies here in Geelong.

We encourage them to return ‘home’ at the conclusion of their time with us, before contemplating future travels. However, some Gappies become so ingrained in our local community through sporting clubs and friendships, that they seek a more permanent stay!

Tom, Will and both ‘Harry’s have now left us, with an array of experiences, stories and memories to take back home.

Will already has flights booked to return with his parents in 2025, to show them some of his favourite places.

Meanwhile, Tom is keenly seeking an Australian wife to secure residency here!

With a commitment to all of their parents to see them safely back onto flights to the UK, we know their stories of Australia will be told for years to come.

The Geelong College is proud to be able to offer this program which provides as much to our community, as it does to the Gappies’ personal growth.

With a waiting list at both Gresham’s and Shrewsbury of school leavers to join our wonderful College community, we are delighted that the Gap Program remains a much sought-after pathway for young people.

We look forward to welcoming four new Gappies in July.