May 2009

National Youth Council

Wow was that only a weekend? boy how time fly's when your having fun and busy. ..... where did my uni holidays go?

May 1-3 saw me back in Sydney for the annual National Youth Council conference. It was held at Baden Powell Scout Centre in Pennant Hills and as usual the food was superb one day the chefs there are amazing. The weekend started out a bit stressful for me with my plane being delayed a few hours which then threw out my whole day. after departing nearly 3 hrs late meeting up with the others at the airport we headed to camp had lunch and then started a full on day. Friday went well and after a little uncertainty the guest speaker Jeff Rose went down well.

Saturday was a success in many ways as well with lots of discussion on Strategic Planning undertaken, a presentation on marketing and sponsorship. Saturday Night we hit the town heading into the city where we went to Ghengkis Khan Mongolian BBQ and then had some free time walking around the city before heading back to camp. The night was a great success except for some rain and upsetting a NSW Commissioner back at camp but he will survive.

Sunday was a interesting day with the elections of a new Administation officer, Vice Chair and 4 new patrol leaders. Admin is Jonas, Vice is Nathan and pl's are Andi, Trev, Jordan and Tim. So begins another year and one that i believe will be alot more productive and successfull then previous years.

Sunday was also a very long day with minimal sleep the three previous nights I was very tired. But I got home safe and sound and so did everyone else that I know of.

Anyway as much as would like to add some more stuff i have an assessment that i need to do for wednesday so going to go for now.

Regional Exercise RFS

Region North Regional Exercise RFS - Glen Innes May 16 -17May 16 & 17 2009 RFS Volunteers from across the country converged on Glen Innes show ground for a weekend of competition and mateship. Over the weekend we learnt alot of things from how to use the new radios being distributed to all trucks, all about powerlines and electricity. We also got to try our hand at pumping, drafting, car fire, house fire, over runs, gas attacks, grass fires, we got to check out the new model trucks coming out..... They look cool :)

My favorite activity was the over runs mainly because i learnt some new stuff or more was reminded of it - what to do with casualties at a over run and any bystanders like police offices who have little idea what we are talking about for a over run.


Wow what a month so far.....I can't believe its nearly June already it only seems like yesterday that it was February.

This month has seen two trips to Sydney already with another to come this weekend. The first weekend was the 2009 National Youth Council Conference which was great and i think set the groundwork for a fantastic year ahead. The weekend after was spent at home completing uni assignments etc. The following weekend saw me head to Glen Innes for Region Exercise - see last post. It was a fantastic weekend and one that i wish was more then once a year.

Last weekend saw me in Sydney for the Scouts Australia National Strategic Planning Meeting which saw around 30 members from around Australia come together to decide on the direction of Scouts Australia for the next 5 years. there were approximately 2-3 people from each of the branch's, and the national team. It was interesting of the 30 something people there only 4 of us were female... and only 2 would have been under 30 - being myself and NRC Chair Sophie. not far away was a QLD guy who is a Rover Advisor and the international Commissioner Emma from Vic they would both be in early 30's i guess. It was a fantastic weekend and one that i was a little confused going into but on track heading out of. I have a task to complete in it being getting a multi sectional youth advisory body permanently set up in each of the branch's So i have a busy busy year ahead.

Most recently tonight has seen me complete my science assignment with 10 minutes to spare... i do not feel overly confident about it but i'm hopeing that i'll be able to at least get a pass for it as i really dont want to repeat the unit ......
All my Special Education (Inclusive Classroom) essays have not been completed and handed in .... last one handed in this morning. so the only things i have left now is my PE due next week which will be started later today/tomorrow being tuesday and then a posting to do online before i head to Port for Group Camp in Sydney.
and the semester will be rapped up with 4 exams starting on the 11th and finishing on the 19th.

anyway now that i think i have started to calm down a little from my mad rush to finish my assignment i think i should clean up the room a little and get some sleep.

catch up again soon world.....
Jade

February 2009

February was like a blur this year for me. The month stated out with the end of National Team Meeting in Sydney was a fruitful weekend. Many week days were spent preparing for UNI to start in a few weeks and also getting up some driving hours so I can go for my P's (Provisional License). Friday was spent at a fire out at Invergowrie known as the Eureka Fire. It was a long and busy day with a bit of blacking out, some backburning, and some carting water. started around 8:30 and returned home around the same time that night off memory.

The next day (7th Feb) I jumped on a plane to Sydney where I attended BRC (Branch Rover Council) where my Crew's proposal on BP approval was Voted on and approved :). That evening I attended Branch Ball - Lords and Ladies theme - at Hornsby RSL it was an amazing night. An early morning the next day (and I must say that I didn't get to bed till the early hours of the morning for that matter) I was back at the airport on my way home. Not much more then an hour later I was off to RFS monthly training where not long after arriving at the station we were responded to the Eureka fire. It had broken its containment lines we got half way out there and were turned around to head to the airport to set up an airbase which involved willing planes with water to drop on the fire. We were there for a few hours before returning to the station on dusk. A few people were asked to assist the catering unit in feeding crews at another fire and not long after they left we were just about to shut the station up and head home when we were responded to a Grass fire... a few hours later and smelling of smoke I finally got home around 9:30pm to have a late dinner and catch some z's. It was a stressfull day as Victoria was struck by what is now referred to as the Black Saturday Bushfires on Saturday the 7th(more on this to follow).

Next day was you betchya my 20th Birthday... didn't do anything special to celebrate it. Drove to the coast to get a few hours up and to take a friend of mum's home.

This week was a very tense week with news reports from Victoria of victims being found and fires burning uncontrolled. Saturday the 14th I was deployed along with many other Region North crews to Victoria. We were tasked to the Murrindindi South Complex fire and operated out of the Healsville Staging area. The destruction was devistating and something i will never forget. We completed 5 days service (1 day travel 3 days on the line and 1 day travel home) as per RFS rules.

Sat 21st saw me jumping on yet another plane for a day trip heading to Sydney for NYC selection committee. After lots of discussion we settled on our 9 new members.

Monday saw my first day of UNI for the year and the workload piled on from there.

Thursday 26th saw me heading back down to Vic for a second deployment, we were sent to the same fire and this time the staging area was set up fully as a base camp so we were in a mini tent city reminded me of a Jamboree except didn't have scouts there were fire fighters, Ambos, ses, National Parks and Wildlife, State forest and many other interstate and local crews camped out instead. This deployment was a much quieter one compared to my first deployment and the only fire my crew saw was a grass fire the first day. But we did allot of patrolling and got to talk to the locals. As it was so quiet and the bad weather that was forcast hadn't come through our whole region was sent home on the sunday a day earlier then our zone was scheduled.

A few days later all NSW RFS Crews were stood down and sent home as the fires were slowly brought under control.

And thus February came to a conclusion and the year was already flying by.

January 2009

Lord Mayors Picnic - New Years Eve

2009 has been a full on and crazy year so far.
I welcomed 2009 by attending Lord Mayors Picnic a Rover service project on Sydney Harbour. Lord Mayors Picnic is an annual event put on by the City of Sydney for disabled and disadvantaged families. Rovers and Guides from around the state come to lend a hand and ensure everyone has a great night. The night is concluded with the 9pm family fireworks with front row seats on the Harbour. After traveling back to our accommodation Trevors fathers place we began the count down for New Years and once the clock struck midnight headed outside to watch the various fireworks going off in the surrounding streets and suburbs. It was a great night had by all and spent many hours following playing cards (Phase 10).

Escape Venture

A few days later the January 3rd to be precise I jumped on a plane and headed to Perth. Why you may say was I travelling to the other side of the country.... Escape Venture would be why. the 14th Australian Venture at Fairbridge Village Pinjarra. A gathering for Venturers from around the country and even around the world. We all came together for 10 days of fun filled freedom. After opening Phase one of the Venture we headed off on expeditions, I was a service leader on The Amazing Race where Venturer units travelled around Perth completing various challenges and earning points. A great time was had by everyone. After expeditions we returned to Pinjarra and comenced phase 2. With the return to camp I then helped run the National Venturer Youth Forum and manned the National display.

National Rover Council

With the conclusion of Venture I headed back to Perth for National Rover Council Annual Conference. It was a great weekend and we spent the few days discussing various topics that relate to Rovers in Australia. Evenings were spent relaxing and socialising with many games of beach volleyball being undertaken.

(Photo to the right is of all NSW members in attendance = Me, Phil, Matt, Matt, Duckie and Jeff. I was there observing in my position of Chair of NYC)

My time in WA and at NRC concluded with an afternoon of relaxing at a townhouse with half the TAS delegation paid for by Qantas. I then spent a very long time on 3 different flights before arriving home the next day

National Team Meeting

January finished up with National Team Meeting in Chatswood, Sydney. It was great to catch up with everyone on the team and also discuss a few issues pertaining to Scouting at a National level including APR Youth Forum, NRC and NYC.

And so January came to a close.