Our kids received a visit from Zero to Hero at school, now they want kids to come to their Camp Hero Leadership program which is a 1 week camp outdoor type thing and it is free. It is not a school organised event, I did search for it on google and can’t find any reviews, hence I am hesitant to send our kids there, although the program of what they are supposed to learn are fantastic.
Anyone has experience with the Camp Hero Leadership program events in the past?
Thanks
Unfortunately named program. People could get completely the wrong idea. Might discourage some.
I’d be checking their blue cards…
Had a quick look. Scant independent info anywhere. It sort of has that faint aroma of christian indoctrination. That might suit you. Keep doing your due diligence based on your expectations. In the absence of finding out what gives you total peace of mind, just trust your gut instinct. You could contact your state education department directly for some validation or feedback. If they have regular gigs across the school system surely the word has got back to a local P & C in some areas????
EDIT: Keep in mind there is a big trough in the 'care' industry .(Aged,disability/youth etc) Make of that what you will.
EDIT2: https://www.facebook.com/zero2heroAU/
^ Reviews (apparently?). I'm not a FB user. They could be cherry picked
It sort of has that faint aroma of christian indoctrination.
Contact email addresses on their Meet Us page, I think they'd be ok if you asked outright?
Thank you.
Maybe the Christian indocrination will cancel out the alphabet people indoctrination taught by public school
Sesame Street?
Well I do think the people are completely nuts
@Protractor: Look. I treat alphabet people with respect, whenever I see them. That's all I'm legally required to do.
Anyway I don't want my kids growing up, thinking that they sexually identify as an elephant. Cause it's going this way. I'm seeing girls wearing cat ears in public, and apparently people wear tails in public in Europe/USA. I'm sorry for not being some weird degenerate.
And yes they do affect me. My lecturer doesn't have a gender or something, and has a really weird name, and I can't stop thinking about it. I just wrote like a two page rant about it, to my friend. I'm scared to watch lecturers, cause it's so weird. I just wanna learn man.
@John Barosa: You've explained yourself well. Everyone see can what you identify as.
You sound insecure. Or 12YO. Hard to tell which.Welcome to Ozb, young man.(again)
@Protractor: Are you saying that people older than 12 should be LGBTQ? And you people claim not to be pedos smh. Trump's defo gonna win a 3rd term at this rate, and NONE of us want this. But if it's between human morality/decency or money, I imagine most people will choose the former.
Just do us all a favor, and keep ur weird fetishes in the bedroom
@Protractor: Face it. Democrat or Republican, they're both gonna simp for Israel. Like tbh, I don't support either side, it's their problem
@Muppet Detector: You must be living under a rock. This degererate trend, became popular around 15-10 years ago. They wear animal tails, tell boys that they are secretly girls, host their flag everywhere and overall make everyone feel uncomfortable. They are the biggest domestic threat in Australia/USA/Europe, and should be treated as terrorists.
@John Barosa: You mean furries?
I think it's just like cos play.
Pretty sure you're taking it a bit serious, eh?
@Muppet Detector: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/65sFz-p3YOc
And according to reddit, I've heard that in American schools, they wear tails. In Melbourne, I see lots of girls with cat ears.
I do not trust furries. It looks innocent now(it really isn't), but soon, it's gonna be a whole weird kink, that everyone advertises publically. We are gonna have furry pride month, we are gonna have furry coworkers, we are going to be legally required to keep litterboxes in workplaces/schools.
Personally I do not want this. These mentally ill people need to be INSTITUTIONALIZED and STOPPED. We saw this happen with the gays. First they said "all we want is to not be persecuted". We gave in, and now they want a month dedicated to their fetish, they want STRAIGHT kids, to be taught gay in school. They want to cancel culture anyone who thinks they're pedos. They turn men into women, and creep everyone out.
People share my beliefs, that's why people vote for TRUMP.
@Muppet Detector: Seriously think about it. In 2011/2012, being gay was a fetish. It wasn't taken seriously, most politicians didn't even support gay marriage. Being gay was a crutch, a weakness. An alternative not a substitute.
U probably forgot when being gay was just a fetish, actual 1984 societal memory wipe. That's what's happening with furries. For the sake of human decency, please NEVER support these people. It won't stop here.
@Muppet Detector: You're wasting your time on an intolerant ***** who thinks everyone but him as a pedo and he fluctuates between being a retail worker and a student, depending on the topic. Not falling into their dichotomy paradigm is degenerate apparently. Imagine if the OP's kid or friends is facing the same challenges, and here's this guy advising them.LOL.
You don't have to read any more, to know they are the same ghost user operating all week under several pseudonyms.
@Protractor: I work part time at Coles and also a full time student. I even mentioned my studies, while on a Coles thread once.
My friends all disagree with my politically. They think I'm pretty much insane. But as long as they don't become alphabet people, I really don't care what they believe. If my kid becomes a alphabet person, immediately gonna be disowned, and thrown to the streets.
Yeah all right wingers are bots. You know how many people in Australia hate LGBTQ? Pretty much all Muslims, all tradies, most South Asians(even Hindus) and some other Asians secretly despise LGBTQ. They won't ever say to your face though. Those groups never hang on forums though, so it's rare for these opinions to be broadcasted.
@Protractor: I'm not miltitant, I had no clue what terrorgram was, until I googled it just now. I stated I follow the laws, when it comes to my treatment of alphabet people. Accusations, no proof, typical left wing.
The REAL terrorists are in Los Angeles, burning cars, destroying buildings, and hosting a foreign flag, but you probably consider them heroes
@John Barosa: Nah, you're a member or associate for sure. Convo could be flagged by now.
sTooPiD rUleS of lAw
@Protractor: I did not make a threat towards any groups. I did not encourange anyone to take their own lives. I did not admit to discrimination(Legal defintion NOT personal opinion) against the LGBTQ population. I broke no law. I simply expressed my disagreement with them, and how intertwined they are with the government.
Luckily for me, they aren't this deep though. I'm not gonna be flagged. But imagine they did. Flag and arrest a 20 year old nobody, with no power, no assets, just a dude starting his life. That's a authoritianism and you're cheering for it.
Honestly go to Europe. Let's see how you like a society run by gays. No new children, weak military, and calling a foreign governments leader "daddy".
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nato-secretary-general-calls…
@John Barosa: Imagine>
(Flag ahoy)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-27/terrorgram-linked-to-…
You know that incitement by hate and race is illegal?>
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/16666951/redir
@Protractor: What about what I said was illegal? Don't give me the paragraph tell me exactly what I said was illegal
Left winger liberals get "hate speech" and "discrimination" confused with "personal opinion"
If I had a house party, and invited 10 people, and it turned that 1 of them was trans, and I threw them out, it would be perfectly lawful, cause it's MY personal property, and I can have whoever I want on it. Any social penalties I face are mine to bear though.
But if I owned a resturant, 10 people came and 1 of them were trans, I could not legally throw the trans person out, because businesses follow additional rules, that private residences do not. I do not support any discrimination against LGBTQ people. None of my above comments have ever supported harming LGBTQ people, or removing theri status as a protected people as defined by the government'
Fine then. I don't even care if I'm flagged, better the government wastes an employee's day looking into me, than teaching kids how to be gay. Everything I do is completely legal. As long as they don't arrest me, or release my identity, I do not care.
And what I'm saying about tradies/Muslims/South Asians is very true. I'm a South Asian myself, not even a Muslim, and my entire family oh man. You should hear the shit they say, behind closed doors. They are like "okay" "Sure" when it comes to European ideas of sexuality, but we never follow it ourselves. They actually got mad at me once, for being homophobic for the wrong reason. They'd have to police half of Australia, if they were to flag me.
@John Barosa: You're that dude who the other kids give wedgies to and stick you head first into unflushed public toilets, then take pics and post them on the internet.
@Muppet Detector: Lmao pretty much exactly what happened to me, I was the least popular dude in my HS. HS was not a nice time for me. Thankfully it was a small part of my life.
@John Barosa: So, when all those people were doing rude things to you, did you tell them "no", or was your mouth too full?
@Muppet Detector: I insulted the hell out of them. I actually had the principal called on me, cause I was outbullying the bullies. There was no way I could insult the boys to the face, so I made up the rumors about girls being slts. 14 yo girls take that shit personally. Instead of insulting me, the larger boys were defending these girls' honor. I had a severe effect on the mental health of quite a few students. In retrospect it kinda sucked what I had to do, but teachers weren't gonna protect me, so I did what I had to do. I was the Iran of students lol.
I made myself look like the victim(which I was), so teachers/principal backed me up. And that's the story of how I called girls whres/slts and didn't even get my parents called.
Thankfully after that, me and the cohort had an unofficial rule that I was not to be disturbed, and it was mostly fine after that.
@Protractor: He sounds like someone who spouts this on here/Reddit, then goes and watches lesbian porn…
@spackbace: Even if they were real, by now the language and other content along with the words COLES with have eyes inward. Same ghost account troll that keeps haunting the forum via VPNs etc. More likely they watch KP .
@Protractor: Cute u think that Coles will ever find me. 1. South Asian. 2. Work at coles. 3. goes to uni. 4. PR/Citizen 5. Lives in Melbourne. I could be anyone. Make Australia Great Again
@John Barosa: I bet that so many people beat the crap out of you that you're too scared to let go of mummy's skirt.
There is no way you go to uni. You would never have made it out of high school unless your mother home schooled you.
@Muppet Detector: I never got beat up even once. I ran as fast as I could to the library. Teachers will never go out of their way to protect you, but students won't dare to fight you with witnesses. Scary part is when there are no teachers, and you're on your own. Oh boy.
U are partially correct about the not attending uni part. I can't bring myself to attend, I hate people, I hate being near people, I see people as cockroaches. Still get high marks though, lectures are enough.
@spackbace: On reddit? I wish. Not worth posting there anymore. They've introduced AI operators of anti evil, who ban you within 2-3 hours of your offending comments. Before you used to get 3 days, but it's no longer worth it. And you get banned for anything. I once got banned for telling an illegal immigrant "Trump's gonna find you, and it's not gonna be nice"
Ozbargain tho, first acc.
Maybe ask the school for some info/background on them?
I assume (hope) they know a bit about them if they are letting them present and advertise their courses at the school.
Definitely sounds like your kids will return home as members of some new cult sub religion.
My experience is when a charity / care org never mentions 'religion' in their spiel, 'generally' it's all they ever talk about when you arrive.
If that's not what OP wants for their kids, they should ask the charity directly.
I hear the main hall is called the Re-Neducation Center
Nothing in life is truly "free"
The story behind it sounds reasonable, and some big company backers which would result in it being free. From a quick search around the place, I can't find any religious talk about the camp, even from statements from schoolkids from religious schools (who would have no hesitation in mentioning God etc). Plus she doesn't seem to wear a cross necklace. Also, her step-dad died from suicide, which spawned all this, so it's unlikely she came from a religious backing
Just my $0.02, not affiliated
Awesome, thank you.
Check the zero2hero website that runs this program. The CEO was the 2016 Young Western Australian of the year.
https://www.zero2hero.com.au/our-story/
Thanks for sharing the link.
Looks reasonable. I did something like this in my 20s - it had a corporate backer, but when they go, the program goes. So make the most of it. Getting your kids off screens will be beneficial.
Re camping, we aim to camp and do long hikes, not glamp, four times a year. We're doing one tomorrow - around the winter solstice. And our kids aren't teens yet; we started when the youngest was five. So they are now probably more physically rugged than the kids that do the program, but it comes with practice. And our kids don't have screens, except for Bluey, Peppa (lesser now) and docos. But I would send them if the wanted to and we were in WA.
Thanks for the feedback.
Hmm, an interesting twist on the Jeffrey Epstein business model.
I doubt it. Trumps too busy chowing down on Maccas
For those worried about the possibility of exposure to religious indoctrination, keep things in perspective.
If your kid "goes over to the dark side" with just one week of exposure, you have far more things to worry about than a camp.
One of my concerns would be around how supervision of sleeping, bathing, toileting and dressing is managed.
Would there be any circumstances where only one person (an adult) is supervising just one or low number of kids?
This is likely a legit and kids (anybody's) mental health is certainly a very worthy cause. But it's also worth knowing all about all the motives. The point I'm making is if the service is christian based and has that component it should be stated. There's good very good reasons for that.And the OP has shown a direct interest in discovering as much as they can about the operation. Lack of reviews makes it hard. I'd be digging the missing feedback or education dept info, up myself if it was my kids. As for "turning" in a week, it's still nice to know up front, if you offer a service involving youth if you do or don't have a penchant for conversions.(ulterior motives). To me it would make sense for zero2hero to have this exact info in their About Us section.It would probably get them more sign ups, not less.
hey! long-time lurker who made an account just so i could comment, but i have had experience with zero2hero! i went on one of their very first camps, all the way back in 2015 (10 years ago now, jeez).
it was a fantastic experience. as others have pointed out, it's abt mental health & educating teens on it and giving them tools to become leaders. no religious bs i promise. i'm an ex catholic, trust, i woulda spotted that shit a mile out.
in practical terms, it was a lotta camp stuff, yknow like you see in american movies? but less cheesy and stupid and sans axe murderers. we were out in big sort of cabin in the bush, they got us to wake up early every day (ugh), there was no cell reception so yay! no social media, and we did stuff like ice breakers, trust exercises, rock climbing, the usual, BUT while also talking abt mental health. including how to recognise when someone is in crisis & how to deal w that, what resources to contact and when to bring in outside help. very good stuff, genuinely. this stuff is like a mental health first aid course, and it does save lives.
i was in yr 10 when i went on it, and i wanted to go bcos a) i was Depressed (yes, clinically. i still am) but b) also bcos i wanted to learn abt and understand it all. you might remember people weren't all that talkative abt mental health 10 years ago, and i was watching myself and my peers struggle while our parents, teachers and schools just didn't see it, or just didn't care.
and it did geniunely help me, and i know i wasn't the only one who found it to be pretty life changing. and yknow, i was a typical cynical teen, so i never admitted things were meaningful unless they really were. ymmv, but i think it's one of those things were because the kids had to apply, we all wanted to be there, yknow? and iirc zero2hero are a charity org, which is why it's free. i know i get emails from time to time about donating and such (which i signed up for, ftr!). i reckon if your kids wanna give it a shot, worst that happens is they spend a week outdoors, and come back maybe with some new friends or knowing a few more things.
also: totally see why you're worried, i reckon you should email in and tell them about your concerns and urge them to add more info that would help assuage them—it's always worth telling folks when they haven't given out enough information. and you might save someone else from having to ask around in fhe future :)
btw if you have more questions feel free to ask but i will let you know, the years + the depression mean my recall is foggy and not very precise when it comes to Everything.
You could also email and ask this org to put your experience on their website (anon) so other prospective users have a down to earth review to instil confidence in the courses etc.
And I agree the OP should also contact them and perhaps that will give impetus for the z2h to gently add some more experiences to the site.
With such a serious issue it's important that parents feel confident in engaging orgs who will be exposed to their ids at the most vulnerable time in their lives.
Yes I am planning to do that. Thanks.
oh that's a great idea! i'd be happy to, and having a few testimonials would go a long way to actually telling people what it's all about—kind of surprised they haven't already done that tbh
Perfect mate, exactly the sort of feedback I was looking for. I really appreciate you taking the time to tell your story. I am also worried about who is looking after the kids, how is the venue secured at night, who is making sure nothing weird goes on in the toilets/ showers etc.
Thanks again for the awesome feedback.
awesome! glad i could help :D
so when i went, we stayed at nanga bush camp (link: https://www.nangabushcamp.com.au/ ) which i actually stayed at again recently (for a wedding lol) and we were in timbarra. i don't know if it's still held there, but if it is! the site has some photos of the space, but not of the toilets so i'll give a rundown on those. there's two separate ones, and each has a shower, some changing rooms and a few toilets. the entrances open out onto the big central space, so you can't really sneak in/out of them. i do not know if they were locked after lights out, but they very well could have been! they probably were tbh, i think i just zonked out every night and only ever woke up when the sun came up and i definitely remember there always being people around in the kitchens and stuff by then. i do think the entrances into the bunkhouse itself are also lockable.
as for who was with us kids, i remember ashley (z2h founder), as well as at least one (probably more) older adults, and some volunteers from previous camps who i assume were young adults. i think i got an email years back about signing up to volunteer for that myself? so yeah, mix of folks, i think mostly volunteers but idk exactly. definitely worth asking about!
hopefully that clears some things up, and hopefully you get an email from em with everything else! i think your kids should also get an application form and that may have more info too?
Thank you so much. I appreciate the extra details.
When something is "free", then YOU (or your kids) are the product :/
"Product" in these terms could be something like teaching the kids to be "Heroes" by fund raising for "the cause", etc