Outdoor recreation - Brock's story
Brock left school halfway through year 11 to travel around the country on his own
This meant periods of homelessness, isolation and an uncertain future.
He had always enjoyed the outdoors, having grown up near Wyangala state park in central NSW, but did not realise that it could become a career until he was in his twenties. The youth of his hometown had poor employment opportunities, and depression had become a real problem. Brock wanted to help provide a solution to this by taking people into the outdoors and help them reconnect with nature, and themselves.
"I wanted to make a difference, but I didn’t have the qualifications. I couldn’t afford the course when I found it, and I couldn’t find it when I could afford it. I learned through friends that the course was offered at Chisholm, and at a cheaper cost than I’d seen previously, so I moved down to Melbourne and applied.
I didn’t get in initially, but I kept applying and contacted the Caroline Chisholm Education Foundation. I was determined to make it in, and this year, I did."
The Caroline Chisholm Foundation has helped Brock realise his dream of making a career out of outdoor education, and given him a chance to make a real difference in his community by helping him with the costs of his dual Certificate IV in Guiding/Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation qualification.
"I’m really thankful to the Caroline Chisholm Education Foundation. They understood how passionate I was about this, and have supported me in making my dreams a reality."
Brock is now studying a Diploma of Outdoor Recreation, with the support of a CCEF scholarship.