21/08/2026
BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES STREET RETREAT 2026:
Students from both Hawker College and Belconnen High School combined to attend the legendary Street Retreat excursion to Sydney on Tuesday and Wednesday the 4th and 5th of August. This included 23 students from Hawker College studying Psychology, Sociology and Social & Community Work and 14 Humanities and Social Science students from Belconnen High School.
The excursion took students into the frontline of Sydney’s responses to addiction, co-morbidities associated with mental illness, homelessness, stigma and social exclusion. Students heard directly from workers and services supporting people ‘doing it tough’, and were then able to critically reflect on how labels, policies and community attitudes shape people’s lives. The itinerary was jam-packed, thought-provoking and at times confronting, so some light relief and enjoyment was also essential at the end of the day as we went to the cinema at the end of Day 1.
Students gained an immersive, real-world understanding of the issues affecting people ‘doing it tough’ and of the eco-system of allied health and care professionals that support them. This experience could not be replicated in the classroom. It was clear that the experiences fostered student personal growth and empathy, personal and social responsibility and moral / ethical decision-making at what is a critical stage of their personal development.
Dr Geoff Taylor, Donna Funnell (Hawker College) and John Alston-Campbell (Belconnen High School) supported students on their challenging and illuminating journey into the unknown – a context very different to what they are used to in the suburbs of Canberra. The students have many stories to tell of their experiences. For more information click on the links for each location.
Images 📸
- Students at Odyssey House
- Butler Stairs, Kings Cross walking tour
- The famous Coca Cola sign in Kings Cross
- Medically supervised injecting centre, Kings Cross
- Courage to Care, UNSW, Kensington
- Mission Australia, Surry Hills
