Ex-commando and bush survival expert Gordon Dedman worries Australians have gone ‘soft’.
“To put it bluntly, society is becoming pathetically soft,” Mr. Dedman said.
“We can’t do anything for ourselves and we don’t know much about our natural world. Kids need to be taught that from an early age. If children’s over dependance on screens and technology isn’t kept in balance, kids will grow up not being able to do anything for themselves.”
Spurred by a desire to push the next generation of Aussie kids out of their “comfort crisis”, Mr. Dedman is bringing his expertise in bush survival to school camps in an effort to build resilience and teach life skills.
Mr Dedman has an impressive CV – he is a former Australian Army commando, current NORFORCE survival instructor, professional musician and survival consultant for Alone Australia.
This career has taken him all over the world.
“When I go overseas and observe different scout groups, I see kids are allowed to take risks and play,” he said.
“They can climb tress and get hurt. Overseas, kids are hardier and allowed to do more things. But here kids don’t know basic life skills and they’re wrapped in cotton wool. They need to toughen up a bit.”
Mr Dedman said a big part of the problem is Australian institutions’ risk aversion when it comes to children, fuelled primarily by costly insurance and fear of liability.
To counter this caution, Mr Dedman brings a watered-down version of his philosophy to Australian schools through his Bushcraft Survival Australia (BSA) camps.
Mr Dedman has brought his non-militarised, curriculum-aligned, nature-based survival programs to six schools and taught bushcraft skills to over 1000 children.
“It’s about teaching environmental stewardship through the median of bushcraft and survival to build resilience,” he said.
“We teach vital life skills and a reconnection with nature, especially by getting kids off their screens. Every year we see the frightening impact of technology on resilience. I’ve even had middle years students who couldn’t butter bread or had never made a sandwich. But it’s incredible to see how nature transforms these kids and grows their confidence and resilience.”
BSA courses range from short sessions to days long camps.
On the school camps, students are forced to learn bushcraft skills as their tools and equipment reduce each day.
“As the course progresses, equipment and resources decrease so kids need to rely on bushcraft skills,” Mr. Dedman said.
“So in the first night they sleep in a tent, but the next night is under a tarp. We teach them how to light a fire with a match, then a flint the next day. We give them tools, then teach them how to make tools. Learning to make your own tools builds resilience. And we don’t wrap them in cotton wool. They’re under pressure to complete these tasks. Giving children ownership and responsibility helps them to grow. They come alive.”
While it m a y seem over the top to some, schools are taking up BSA’s courses and Mr Dedman said his most popular course is one designed for parents and children to take together.
His approach is also endorsed by the peak Australian association for outdoor activities, the Outdoor Council of Australia (OCA).
“Bushcraft Survival Australia’s school program is a perfect example of helping young people to develop skills which will see them well equipped for life,” OCA chair Lorrie Modd said.
“School camps offer learning opportunities that simply can’t be replicated in a classroom. They build social connection, confidence and practical life skills in ways traditional learning environments don’t. Camps challenge our kids to step out of their comfort zone and push boundaries for their personal development. Camps provide safe, skilled guidance while producing outcomes of learning that provide our kids with essential life skills. We are currently facing a “comfort crisis”.
“When children are not exposed to manageable challenges early on, their resilience can be lacking later in life.”
This masthead spoke to two school outdoor activity leaders who had done BSA courses with their students.
In Victoria, Geelong Grammar School head of adventure education Mel Ridley said each time the school offers the optional courses it fully books out.
“The kids come out of it with so many skills and such great confidence,” Ms Ridley said.
“They begin to believe I can do this. “I’ve had students who signed up who’d never been in the bush before or slept in a tent. They walk away full of pride and full of experience. Parents obviously want to know it’s a safe environment and BSA are highly trained and experts in survival so it’s an easy way to reassure parents it will be safe.”
New South Wales Northern Beaches Secondary College physical education teacher Rachel Purcell also rated the program
“The biggest lesson they learned was teamwork, but also the excitement of learning new skills they can actually use,” Ms Purcell said.
“It helped their self-esteem and grew their confidence and resilience. It shows learning goes beyond the classroom.”
