We asked past “Oz Kids” what the highlight of the Oz Experience was for them, here’s what they said…

• “The whole of my Oz Experience has been one heck of an awesome adventure, far more so than I could’ve ever imagined when I originally signed up for it”.
• “Overall a great experience that’s taught me a lot”
• “Conservation work at Chakola was the best time of my life, staff are great, food was yummy and was great for team building.”
• “The whole trip was an amazing experience! But the Sydney Harbour bridge, the Tower etc made it for me!”
• “Feeding kangaroos, holding koalas and seeing penguins while on conservation was amazing”
• “The best thing about the whole trip is the people I have met.”
• “Thank you very much to the Joshua Foundation for organising an amazing trip!”
• “Team Leaders were superb!! Made the experience 100 times better! Was worried about coming on my own but there were plenty of others made it better and easier to make friends.”
• “Team Leaders were amazing individuals. The people I met – all wonderful- will remain close and in touch – made friends for life! Conservation work was excellent, so were all the activities we had planned and did!”
• “Overall I feel this trip was amazing.”
• “Overall I had a really good time and enjoyed things I didn’t think I would (in the end). I think the trip has definitely opened my eyes to different things and travelling to a different part of the world…….I do think the trip was well organised though and was very impressed with the catering for vegetarians, particularly at CVA….the food was fantastic. Thankyou for a good time.”
• “I also really enjoyed the conservation work at Kangaroo Valley despite being cold.”
• “Working with CVA and the Foundation has been an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone. It is a once in a lifetime experience and has certainly changed the way I look at things and I hope to continue doing work like this on my return home.”
• “…making penguin boxes, Bridge climb and jet boat ride….everything was amazing. The whole experience I can say was just brill.”
• “ Phillip Island conservation work – Penguin Parade and sunset. Bridge climb even though I cried! Jet boat ride. Jewish Museum, all definitely life changing and inspiring.”
• “Had a life changing experience.”
• “Enjoy every minute, it will end so quickly. The experience could be longer. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!”
• “That fundraising is hard work and needs dedication and commitment but it is undoubtedly worth it as this experience will gain you so many positives such as new friends, unforgettable scenery and attractions and personal fulfilment.”
• “Whole experience was brilliant – loved all the excursions! Conservation was good fun. Amazing people in team and best team leader we could wish for. Relaxed and fun experience.”
• “The whole trip was a highlight. I really enjoyed the whole thing! I’ve learnt so much and met so many amazing people.”
• “The last day was certainly unforgettable – the Harbour Bridge and the ozjet – unbelievable. The revolving restaurant was stunning and gave me the opportunity to try some more adventurous foods. Conservation work – well fed/ looked after and a lot of fun.”
• “The trip was awesome – we did so much and had a good feel for Australia.”
• “Everything was amazing, the Sydney Bridge climb was wonderful and it was beautiful.”
• “Everything was fantastic, enjoyed every bit of the trip, Amazing!!”
• “Definitely do the experience and raise the money. It’s been fantastic, loved every minute of it. The team leaders have been fantastic. Its been an experience of a lifetime.”
• “NEVER GIVE UP!!!!! If you can’t think of ideas ask people – they’ll help.”
• “Conservation work was awesome! Sydney is amazing! The bridgeclimb!”
• “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done and definitely worth it. The Jewish Museum was inspiring as was the Bridgeclimb.”
• “Honestly I have loved every single minute of it. Highlights would just be everything we did – including the conservation work!! But most certainly being part of such an amazing group of different individuals who have all just had such a laugh – it was totally brilliant!!”
• “Incredible experience. Make it last longer. Never wanted it to end.”
• “I am in love with Australia and its people and I will be returning. No complaints at all! Suggestions …keep doing this trip and raising money, after seeing some of the children etc has made this such a rewarding experience.”
• “Stick to it even when it seems impossible because the end result is amazing. Thank you for the fab opportunity! Loved it.”
• “Thank you for an awesome time!!!”
• “Everything was unforgettable and amazing.”
• “The bridgeclimb was an experience but most enjoyable was the people in my group.”

Oz Team Members 2007

• “Meeting wonderful new people from across the country”
• “Conservation work, away from all the material attractions of the cities”
• “Visiting the children in hospital and the realisation that we were helping them – it’s a great feeling”
• “Climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge”
• “Developing as a person and becoming more independent, I’ve realised that if I put my mind to something I can do it!”
• “Having the chance to visit a place that I’d always dreamt about, and at the same time doing something worthwhile for a good cause”
• “I had such an amazing time and the experiences I had were phenomenal. I would love to go again with your organisation but possibly as a team leader so I can share the experiences I had with future Oz members”.
• “The trip provided me with so many memories though my favourite would have to be the bridge climb… I’ve now got 2 weeks left before I go to uni…. And now feel ready to go. If I can go to the other side of the world and make such good friends I have no doubt I can do it in Bristol.”
• “We had the most amazing time in Australia, and the fundraising was one of the best things we’ve ever done.”
• “There was never a dull moment and we all had a great time. There were plenty of activities planned, and I really felt as though we experienced as much of Australia as we could have. The hostels were lovely, especially the YHA in Sydney, and the team leaders were brilliant – they looked after us but still became very much a part of the group.”

Oz Team Members 2006

As for how I enjoyed the Oz Experience I found it to be the best experience of my life and I am so glad that I took part in it, not just because I got to go to Australia and enjoy myself but because I got the satisfaction of helping the foundation as well. The trip to Australia was in itself amazing, all the sites that we saw were fantastic and it was good to meet new people and make new friends. Some of the friendships made will be lifelong I hope as we all bonded after spending that amount of time with each other. The conservation work was also enjoyable as it was good to actually do some hard work after those long plane rides. It was nice to see Gilgal where the Joshua Foundation are planning on building a resort for the children and their families and it felt great to be part of helping to make that dream a reality…to any students who are approached by the Joshua Foundation and are not sure whether they want to be a part of the Oz Experience I say DO IT! You will not regret it.

Wallaby Team Member 2005

Thank you very much for the opportunity you gave me to go to Australia it was definitely the best trip I have ever been on and would seriously recommend it to my friends.

Wallaby Team Member 2005

I’m just writing to say thank you very much for the two weeks we spent in Oz! I couldn’t have wanted three cooler team leaders you made the two weeks so much fun and the experience so memorable for us.

Koala Team Member 2005

I have just returned from the most amazing, eye opening experience of my life – The Oz Experience. I would like to thank you for all the hard work over the years and for all the support I received while fundraising. I had a lot of fun raising the money and even more while in Australia. I have made new friends and gained new skills and had the time of my life. I just wanted to say a big thank you.

Koala Team Member 2005

Thank you for providing us with the most amazing experiences of out lives so far with the Oz 2004 experience. It was thoroughly enjoyed by the entire group who have become so close as a result that we are sure never to part ways.

Oz 2004 Team Members

I just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you so much for an amazing experience in Australia and Los Angeles. We all had such an awe-inspiring trip, and we only have you guys to thank for making it such a wonderful journey. I feel thoroughly proud to be associated with such a wonderful charity, and I hope to see you in the near future!

Oz 2003 Team Member

I was very proud to see my daughter go off on her dig trip to Oz. I’d like to thank you and your team for the great work that you do. This whole experience has taught them a great deal and it will live with them for the rest of their lives.

Parent of Oz 2004 Team Member

I wanted to thank you for an amazing experience that I will never forget. I made really good friends, with whom I had such a good time doing a very worthwhile thing.

Oz 2003 Team Members

Letter reads…
It was a pleasure to see Sarah Cornelius among the Real Women Of Achievement. My youngest daughter, Laura, was one of those who raised sponsorship of £2,000, which provided her with the trip of a lifetime – flying off around the world on her 18th birthday – and gave £1,000 to Sarah’s Joshua Foundation charity for very sick children.
In Australia, Laura built nesting boxes for the penguins on Phillip Island and planted bulbs for a conservation project up in the highlands. She then went to Sydney and climbed the Habour Bridge before flying on to Los Angeles.
She left as a teenage girl and came back as a woman, ready for university. But this was no gap year – she did it in 17 days. With the other money raised, the Joshua Foundation sent out a planeload of terminally ill children to Lapland to see Father Christmas. All the hard work of Laura and two school friends – collecting outside supermarkets and local race meetings – was worthwhile. All three are now at university, and their money raising looks impressive on their CVs.
To Sarah, a big thank you for giving my daughter that first step into the big world. And to parents wondering if they should allow their child to go on such an adventure: say yes.

Mrs. Janet Babb, Mother of Oz 2003 Team Member. Article appeared in The Daily Mail, Wednesday, March 17, 2004.