Positive Start

Positive Start

What is Positive Start?

Positive Start 2022 is a Victorian Government initiative seeking to re-engage primary and secondary students and boost their physical and emotional health and well-being in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Students who attend a government or low-fee non-government are getting more opportunities to attend camps, swimming programs, sports programs and cultural experiences in 2022. These programs are completely free, there is no cost for schools or parents/carers. 

With Positive Start, Victorian students can be more active, reconnect with friends and find inspiration in new and exciting places.

Outdoors Victoria’s role in Positive Start

Outdoors Victoria (OV) was contracted by the Department of Education and Training (DET) to administer the Journey-based components of the Positive Start 2022 Camps program. Positive Start aims to deliver 80,000 overnight places for students who would not normally attend camps, around 10,000 of which will be Journey-based programs.  

Journey-based programs have lots in common with a regular school camp, but they also have some key differences. Journeys may range in style from a 5-day trip (usually bushwalk, canoe or cycle) often involving lightweight camping in tents in the Australian bush to an overnight bushwalk heading out and returning to a residential camp. Journeys offer immersive and powerful learning opportunities that can involve one or multiple forms of travel.

OV has worked with the eight DET Positive Start approved Journey providers to ensure Journey programs are of the highest standard.

65 -70 programs delivered in 2022

Around 4,500 students went on journey-based programs

$84.3 million investment by the Victorian Government to support school camps

The Positive Start 2022 is supported by the Victorian Government.