Leadership

Personal growth and group development in the great outdoors

Optimum Experiences customises our Leadership programs to groups of all styles and sizes. Belbin Jump Start helps young people transition to life after school. Life Ready meets requirements for government secondary schools, with help from impressive guest speakers. Experienced and emerging leaders can load their leadership toolbox with a Taste of Leadership or a tailor-made Expedition.

Nurturing leadership, naturally

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Program design

01
Define
To deliver a program that meets your school’s specific requirements, we begin with a consultation to understand your expectations and goals, as well as your students and teachers. We’ll uncover the challenges and opportunities unique to your organisation.
02
Design
We scope what’s needed to ensure a safe, engaging environment. We assess potential locations and risks, plan contingencies and create a personalised curriculum. Each program is unique, with bespoke learning that aligns with your vision.
03
Deliver
Our experienced facilitators implement our programs, ensuring each participant is engaged, inspired and empowered. Drawing on their wealth of expertise, they guide and mentor students to foster a safe, challenging and supportive learning environment.
04
Demonstrate
The ultimate value of our outdoor education programs lies in how students can apply what they’ve learned to their everyday lives. We lead debriefing and reflection sessions to help students and teachers recognise personal insights and transfer their learnings.

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FAQs
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Are the Leadership programs for business groups as well?
You bet. All our programs are completely customisable, and we love equipping teams of all types with leadership skills like teamwork, communication, resilience and emotional intelligence.

Will you come to us?
Absolutely! For our Leadership programs, we prefer to host you at our Fitzroy Falls Centre, where we have access to our full suite of leadership initiatives. However, Optimum Experiences is a fully mobile company. We can bring our gear and our team members to your premises and run a Leadership program from there - we can even include a mini camping trip or an Expedition.

How do I book?
First, get in touch with Optimum Experiences so we can design a program just for you. We’ll then set you up with a profile on VenueLife, where you can register and provide important information like group allocations, dietary requirements, emergency contacts and medical plans.

Do I need my own sleeping bag?
Yes, and please also bring a sleeping mat and pillow. You’ll find a full list of what you need to bring under our Resources section below.

What are the bathroom facilities like?
Learning how to take care of business in the bush is an important life skill! Toilets and bathrooms are part of the facilities at the Optimum Experiences Centre at Fitzroy Falls, at Base Camp at Coolendeland and at campgrounds in National Parks and NSW Parks. On Expedition, participants will have the full outdoor bathroom experience - privately, safely, hygienically and in a way that protects our environment.

What should I bring to an Optimum Experiences program?
Great question! You’ll find a list of what to bring under the Resources section of this page. After we’ve designed a bespoke program just for your group, we’ll also provide a handy packing list.

What’s the food like?
We think the food is great! Optimum Experiences provides all meals, with thanks to our incredible Logistics Coordinators. It’s all cooked fresh at the campground, in our commercial kitchen at our Fitzroy Falls Centre, and using the camp kitchen BBQ at Base Camp Coolendel. As we design the program for your group, we’ll collect information about dietary requirements and allergies, via our easy-to-use booking system, Venuelife.

Do all staff members have Working With Children Checks?
Absolutely. Our qualified, experienced outdoor educators are our greatest asset. Meet the team.

Will I need to carry my own pack?
With help, yes. However, each Optimum Experiences program is custom designed, especially for your group. Get in touch to learn how we cater to groups of all ages, numbers and abilities.

What other types of programs do you run?
As well as our Leadership program, Optimum Experiences runs a range of customised outdoor education programs for school groups and more: Centre Based, Base Camp, Coastal, Expeditions. On our Adventure programs, we take participants abseiling, canyoning, mountain biking, skiing and more.

How challenging will it be?
Every individual has their own challenges. We take great pride in tailoring our experiences to suit each group so that our programs exceed expectations. Our experienced, professional outdoor educators ensure participants feel safe and secure, while also helping to build a non-judgemental, supportive community of peers.

Does Optimum Experiences run the Duke of Edinburgh program?
We do! We facilitate the Duke of Edinburgh program at Bronze, Silver, Gold and International levels. Check out our Adventures for some awesome photos.

Will we be roasting marshmallows?
Naturally - as long as conditions are safe for a fire. In general, we might have small campfires for groups, as well as a bigger bonfire in our Amphitheatre. If the conditions aren’t suitable for a fire, we get creative with our camp kitchen.

Accommodation
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Most of our Leadership programs run from our Centre at Fitzroy Falls, where we have easy access to all our leadership initiatives. Participants share dormitory-style cabins. If the Leadership program also includes an Expedition, participants camp in 2-person tents, which are waterproof and double-walled for ventilation.
Catering
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Participants will enjoy beautifully catered meals at Fitzroy Falls. We come together for meals and to share stories about our day.
Risk management
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Wherever you are - at the camping ground, on Expedition, on a high rope or paddling a canoe - your safety and wellbeing is Optimum Experiences’ number 1 priority. Our guides are not only experienced but also hold first aid and emergency response certifications. The top-notch equipment we use, courtesy of our esteemed partner Equipped Outdoors, further safeguards your adventure.
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Belbin Jump Start

To help young people leaving school or university to confidently move into work, the proven Belbin program fosters self-awareness, builds interpersonal and leadership skills, and prepares participants for successful careers.
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Life Ready

Optimum Experiences combines government schools’ mandatory Life Ready program, designed to prepare and support senior students in discussions around health and safety, with an unforgettable outdoor experience.
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Taste of Leadership

To help students reflect on personal challenges, we provide opportunities to lead, support leaders, work as a team and build relationships. They’ll return with a full suite of leadership skills.
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Leadership Expeditions

Students put leadership learnings into practice on this multi-day Expedition in the great outdoors. We build on their personal growth and develop practical skills such as navigation and meal preparation.
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Bespoke

We design programs that give students and schools what they need. Some ideas that could suit your community: Rites of Passage, leadership for teachers and staff, 5- to 12-day intensives.
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Incursion

Bring an Optimum Experience leadership program to your school. As a fully mobile company, we can bring all our staff and equipment to you for a tailor-made adventure to inspire leaders. Read more.
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Leadership

Leadership is an essential element of success on any chosen life path - as are the interpersonal skills that go hand in hand, like self-awareness, emotional intelligence, teamwork and reflection.
In Optimum Experiences’ Leadership programs for schools, we focus on helping individual students to understand their leadership style and the different abilities that can be found in teams of all shapes and sizes. Our expert guides and facilitators craft powerful experiences in safe and supportive environments, drawing on the lessons and inspirations of outdoor education.
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Our philosophy

As well as helping students to grow their leadership skills, we create leadership-driven cultures within schools, using carefully designed initiatives that challenge and promote personal growth and development. We encourage all leaders to put their learnings into practice and demonstrate how they apply to everyday life.

Like every Optimum Experiences program, our Leadership programs are tailored to client needs and the educational outcomes that matter most to your school culture. Every program is evidence-based, meticulously researched and backed by pedagogy.
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What our clients say

"Optimum's staff are second to none. Their consistency and quality have developed strong relationships and trust. Students always look forward to seeing familiar faces."
Shannon Cameron, Head of PDHPE, Northholm Grammar
“The expeditions pushed our students out of their comfort zones in a challenging yet safe and rewarding environment.”
Jackson Zhou, North Sydney Boys High School
“The leaders create a safe and inclusive environment for all participants. The leaders go above and beyond to accommodate different needs.”
Trent Brown, Head Teacher Welfare, Kellyville High School