THERE’S a new cultural revolution happening among young people who are searching for goodness, truth and beauty, not “blurry regrets”.
Across Australia, Catholic apostolates and ministries have developed alternatives to the raging mess that is left behind by hundreds of school leavers who gather on the Gold Coast for Schoolies Week.
In November last year, Brisbane-based social apostolate Faith on Tap invited a young school leaver to share his experience of Schoolies and it wasn’t pretty.
For example, the guest speaker recounted that after the first night of Schoolies, pharmacies across the Gold Coast had “run out of” the morning-after pill.
Essentially, young people were so keen to celebrate their freedom, finally finishing 13 years of schooling that they left all reason to their hormones.
Youth pilgrimage company Harvest Inroads is one group inviting young people to shift the Schoolies culture away from regretful memories to meaningful ones.
From the end of November this year, Inroads will be taking 2014 high school graduates to Fiji to go beyond themselves, serve the local community and celebrate the end of an era in their academic lives.
It’s also an alcohol, drug and tobacco-free trip.
The trip is based on mission projects held the week before the 2013 World Youth Day in Rio.
It will immerse young people in the local culture and establish ongoing service projects for future graduates.
Specifically, young people will get the chance to help with several building and infrastructure projects, teach English to primary school students, and help prepare traditional meals with the villagers.
For more information on the Alternative Schoolies 2014 package, contact Harvest Inroads on 1800 819 156, or email schoolies@inroads.net.
