The Odyssey Program

Motivation

Why do high school boys need The Odyssey Program?

There is no shortage of negative press when it comes to today's youth.

Violence, sexual abuse and promiscuity, drug and alcohol addiction, robbery and other crimes and general bad behaviour are rife among teenagers. There is also widespread depression, stress and suicide. Young males, especially, feature heavily in our daily dose of bad news.

Everyone is quick to point the finger of blame but rarely does anyone step forward to offer a real solution.

In developing The Odyssey Program we have recognised that it is unrealistic to expect the pressures and pitfalls of modern living to disappear or for society to suddenly respect and nurture the diversity amongst our teens.

But while changing the world may not be an option, changing the way individuals choose to think and act within it most definitely is.

We believe that the potential to live honourably is inside each and every boy. We at The Odyssey Program have enormous faith in the young men of Australia. We believe in their capacity for good conduct and happy living and we want to help them realise it!

Interesting Statistics

Around 20% of young people will have experienced significant depressive symptoms by the time they reach adulthood. In the longer term, depression can reduce social and vocational opportunities for young people as a result of early school dropout and sporadic employment opportunities. - Source:BeyondBlue, 2010.

Cyber bullying has become a major issue. It is most common in teenagers aged 14-17 years, with 31 percent reporting that they have been cyber bullied. 21 percent of 10-13 year olds report being cyber bullied. - Source: Microsoft/Galaxy Research, 2008.