REACHING the top of Mount Difficult was easy for eight Casey students last month - and symbolic.
Sitting at the top after the climb, the youths reflected on the previous eight weeks.
From not knowing which direction to take in life, they can now all see bright futures.
They are all back at school after completing an intensive eight-week self-development program run by the Victoria Police and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Operation New Start Casey is aimed at "at-risk and troubled'' 14-17 year olds at risk of dropping out of the education system.
Luke, aged 16, a year 10 student at Narre Warren P-12 college, says he would "do it all again any day''.
Like his fellow participants, Luke was referred to the course by his school.
He is now back at school with a renewed enthusiasm.
"I would like to be an architect. I don't think I will drop out of school now - I want to pass year 12.''
Luke says he still struggles with maths, but since coming back from the course his teachers "are a lot happier with me''.
DEECD facilitator James Seeary says he and his program co-worker, Leading Senior Constable Chris Atherton, were proud of the group.
"We are proud that all eight boys that started the program were able to complete the program together, and that four of them had a 100 per cent attendance record - when truancy from school is normally a problem.''
"We are looking forward to tracking the boys' progress over the next two years by meeting with them again over that period of time, and excited that these boys now have a greater understanding of their own goals for the future, including their schooling and paths towards apprenticeships and work.
"The kids have done so well, and it was exciting as it was our first graduations,'' Chris says.
Around 80people attended an Operation New Start Casey ceremony to celebrate the group's success.
They included parents, teachers, police and staff from Connections Uniting Care in Narre Warren.
The Casey-based New Start was launched at Connections in April, after proving to be a highly successful model in other Victorian locations.
The course includes a range of activities such as outdoor adventures, work place visits, a TAFE taster, fitness testing, fire awareness, first aid qualifications, team building and community volunteer work.
Luke says one of the highlights for him was a CFA day when he undertook basic fire training.
"That was the best day for me ... I didn't get to go on the camps as I was sick.''
Luke and two fellow participants, Drew and Jimmy, also got to test their new CFA skills.
"We were sitting in the New Start office and could smell smoke, so went outside and saw a small fire, which we think was started by a cigarette.
"Some grass had caught fire and we managed to put it out before the fire brigade got there - it took two full tanks of fire extinguishers to do it.
"We were pretty pleased with ourselves.''
The program will be offered four times a year in Casey.
Several local schools are taking part as referral schools.
Email a friend