The Young Women’s Program is offered to teenage girls who would like a hand in making some changes in their life, young women who are concerned about the path they might be heading down.

The program begins with a three-week residential experience hiking in rugged National Park lands and at one of our remote properties. It is followed up with two years of support, which includes visiting the young women in their community and follow up programs. This support is offered as the young women re-integrate into their lives in the world outside of Evolve.

'Don't let fear hold you back. I nearly did, I wanted to go home so many times, but if I did I wouldn't have finished Typo. I stayed and it was worth it. The group becomes a family and I made friends I'm gonna have for life. When you don't have a family to fall back on, it's pretty good to know they're (Typo family) always there for you.'

The Residential Experience

Expedition - A nine day hike through remote bush in National Parks. The Expedition can be highly challenging but also highly rewarding! The hike provides a powerful setting for the young women to explore and develop their goals and visions whilst learning new skills, and meeting people who may be going through similar tough times. Belonging to a like-minded group, exploring a new place, and getting away from pressure at home offers perspective and support while journeying through beautiful, natural landscapes.

Station Life - This is a week that aims to build a sense of responsibility and respect for self and others, develop new skills, and create routines for ongoing motivation and engagement in education or employment. Station Life includes art, cooking, blacksmithing, joinery, leatherwork, solo time and community involvement.

Follow Up Support Period

It can be difficult to return to life in the world outside of Evolve. Staying in contact with the staff, and other young women, allows the community that has developed through the intensive three weeks to continue at home. Follow up inlcudes community visits from staff, follow up programs, and regular contact over the phone, via email and through a dedicated Facebook site.

A parent/carer dinner following the program is organised, to assist parents to understand what their young women has been involved in, and share ideas in how they can support her once she has returned home. If a young woman has put in a big effort to make some changes, there are few better ways of supporting this than for people around her to also make some changes!

Follow up programs offer the young women a chance to reconnect to Typo Station or Woodstock, properties representing a highly significant experience, and to staff and other young women who have shared the 'Evolve Experience'. Follow up programs help the young woman stay in touch with the changes that they want to make and offer progressive challenges and connectedness to significant people.

From One of the Girls...

"At the start I was pumped for myself going on this program, then when it came closer to the date I was getting cold feet, but I pushed myself to do it… And I do not regret it. We started off with nine days in the bush, hiking, it was hard but worth it. Felt like a massive dream. The three day home visit was great to go home, now back at Typo Station, not all fun and games, but I don’t want to leave because in my experience I found myself out here. And I now know what I want. This camp has made a few of my dreams come true, I’ve always wanted more, but ‘living with nothing’ I don’t want anything else. If you’re looking for a change and a new state of mind, this program will help you.

I hope the next lot of girls can enjoy this opportunity as much as me!"