ACPE staff and students raise funds for volunteer trip to Cambodia

Monday, 12 November 2012 

The International News Magazine

By  Sarah Fleming 

The ACPE Tour Group

AUSTRALIA 12 November 2012. Staff and students from The Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE) are travelling to Cambodia on the 4^th of November to undertake the 2012 ACPE Cultural Experience Program. During their three week visit, the group will volunteer to deliver sports programs, conduct lessons in first aid and assist with the nightly food program at the Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF).

The CCF was founded in 2004 and aims to help the children of Cambodia through providing nourishment and access to education. The fund has grown from looking after a group of 87 children, to 1,200. Robyn Clune, an ACPE alumnus and current lecturer at ACPE, has been involved in the CCF since 2010, and the following year, approached the ACPE about getting involved – hence, the Cultural Experience Program was born.

"I saw such poverty in Asia and thought it was terribly unfair. I wanted to do something good for someone else and I decided to start volunteering in Cambodia. I’ve travelled to Cambodia twice each year since 2010 to teach a PE program with the CCF. I did it seven hours a day for three weeks, and can’t describe how rewarding the experience was,” says Robyn.

As the result of a thorough application process, the ACPE have selected a team of the fifteen most outstanding students, ranging from first years to fourth years, who they believe can bring something of value to the children of Cambodia.

“The chosen students have all the attributes needed to take part in a program such as this. They’re respectful, helpful, proud to be an ACPE student and they each have a strong desire to help in their communities as well as in others,” says Robyn. “The students come from a variety of fields, including PE, dance education, health & movement and applied fitness, meaning that they can each bring something different to the kids.”

The Cultural Experience Program provides a unique opportunity for each student to take part in something life-changing, as a result of their studies. This is just one example of the way the ACPE endeavours to create well-rounded graduates, who are enriched mentally, physically and socially as a result of their time at the college.

“The college, along with each student, are working tirelessly to raise the $10,000 we have set as our goal for the year to fund the trip to Cambodia. From BBQs, movie nights, and high teas to contacting local councils and hosting kids parties, their efforts have been astounding,” says Robyn.

Two ACPE staff members and alumni of the college, Kellie Vernon and David Maxwell, both of whom will be travelling to Cambodia along with the students, have pushed themselves to the limits to raise additional funds. Kellie and David engaged a number of sponsors to support their 21.1km half-marathon and 42.2km marathon efforts.

"Last year, this program really opened our eyes to the type of poverty that exists in other countries and gave us an appreciation of how fortunate we are in Australia. It is amazing how the children of CCF, despite their unfortunate backgrounds wake up every day with a positive attitude,” says Kellie.

Sarah Trees, a returning student who is currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Education (Physical and Health Education), who participated in last year’s trip, says “It’s strange to think that the people you meet living in such poverty can teach you so much about what kind of person you want to be. Compared to us, these people have nothing and yet they are some of the happiest, grateful and peaceful people I have ever met. Their drive to learn and study is inspirational. I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity through my studies at ACPE.”

“I am honoured to be returning to Cambodia with ACPE to greet so many familiar faces. I’m really looking forward to seeing how much the children and the program itself have grown in the last year,” says Sarah.

For more information go to www.acpe.edu.au

About the ACPE:

The Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE) is part of Study Group, a global leader in education. Each year over 60,000 students from more than 130 countries enter its programmes drawn by the sector-leading quality of its educational provision. Study Groups’ purpose-built teaching and residential facilities set an industry benchmark in contemporary learning environments. The Career Education Division of Study Group is a set of private Australian education colleges, made up of the Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE), the Australian Institute of Applied Sciences (AIAS) and Martin College. It is a leader in education, providing its students with the skills and qualifications needed to succeed after graduation.