Outback Instincts

💛 END OF FINANCIAL YEAR APPEAL 💛

Right now, more than 75 young people are waiting for support through Outback Instincts.

Some are struggling with anxiety, school disengagement, social isolation, family challenges, trauma, or simply feeling like they don't belong anywhere.

At Outback Instincts, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to discover their strengths, build confidence, develop a strong work ethic, and find a sense of purpose.

That's why we don't rely on four walls and a desk.

We create opportunities through horses, dogs, cattle, practical projects, mentoring, and hands-on experiences that help young people develop resilience, responsibility, communication skills, confidence and hope for the future.

Our programs also introduce young people to the agricultural industry and the many opportunities it offers. Whether they're working with cattle, caring for animals, maintaining infrastructure, learning practical skills, or contributing to real projects, they're gaining valuable experience while learning the importance of showing up, working hard, and being part of a team.

But our programs don't just benefit young people.

Through our Therapy Dogs to Aged Care program, young people and their dogs bring connection, conversation and smiles to older members of our community who may otherwise experience isolation and loneliness.

Through community-based activities, young people also gain experience supporting and interacting with people living with disability, helping build empathy, understanding and confidence while making a genuine difference in the lives of others.

Every week, we see young people take steps they never thought possible.

A young person finding the confidence to speak up.

A young person returning to education.

A young person learning to trust again.

A young person discovering they are capable of far more than they believed.

Outback Instincts is a registered Australian charity with DGR (Deductible Gift Recipient) status, meaning donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

As the End of Financial Year approaches, we're asking our community to help us continue providing life-changing opportunities for young people across the Darling Downs and surrounding regions.

Your donation helps support:

🐴 Equine-assisted programs
🐕 Therapy and working dog programs
👵 Therapy Dogs to Aged Care visits
🤝 Community engagement and inclusion activities
🐄 Youth in the Yards cattle programs
🔨 Trades, practical skills and work-readiness activities
🌱 Property and environmental projects
👥 Mentoring, guidance and support for vulnerable young people

No donation is too small.

Every dollar helps create opportunities, build connections, develop future pathways, and remind a young person that they matter.

💛 Donate before June 30 and help us continue creating opportunities for young people who need them most.

👉 Donate here: https://www.givenow.com.au/outbackinstinctsyouthprograms

Thank you for believing in our young people and the potential they carry.

Together, we're building more than skills.

We're building resilient, capable young people who are ready to contribute to their communities, the agricultural industry, and their future.

GiveNow - Fundraising for Outback Instincts Youth Programs Outback Instincts empowers at-risk youth through animals, horses, cattle and rural lifebuilding resilience, purpose and skills for brighter futures in the Darling Downs

The amazing crew at Civic Assist are rolling out another NXTGEAR program! Check out their page for more details on enrolling or get in touch with the team :)

🚲 NEW INTAKE STARTING 22 JULY 2026 🚲

Our 16 Week Youth Mentoring Program is open to young people aged 14–17 years who have disengaged from education and are looking to build confidence, learn new skills and explore future pathways.
Participants will receive support with:

✔ Employment pathways
✔ Goal setting & mentoring
✔ Resume writing & interview skills
✔ Emotional regulation strategies
✔ Life skills development
✔ Completing a Certificate I in Developing Independence
✔ Building a bike to KEEP
✔ Outdoor adventures & activities

This program provides a supportive environment where young people can reconnect, develop confidence and work towards positive future opportunities.
Limited places available.
Contact us to learn more or fill in an expression of interest on our website.

🤠 GOT LIFE EXPERIENCE? A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR? DON'T MIND A BIT OF DUST, DOG HAIR OR CATTLE S**T?

We might have a volunteer role for you. 😏

Outback Instincts is growing rapidly and we're looking for good humans to join our team in Goombungee.

Not because we need people with fancy titles.

Because young people need more good adults in their corner.

The kind who can teach them how to swing a hammer, train a dog, lead a horse, fix a fence, solve a problem, laugh at themselves and keep showing up when life gets messy.

At Outback Instincts, our motto is simple:

🔨 Tools
🤝 Trust
🌱 Transformation

Because before a young person can transform their future, they first need someone willing to build trust.

One of our core values is Relationship First.
"Young people and animals don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

That's what we do.

We build relationships first.

The skills, confidence, resilience and growth come afterwards.

These days, too many young people are connected to everything... except each other.

At Outback Instincts, phones go in the lock box.

The conversations get better.

The confidence grows.

The animals don't care how many followers, streaks or likes you have.

The dogs don't care what school you do or don't attend.

The horses don't care what diagnosis you carry.

The cattle don't care what mistakes you made yesterday or what brand of boots you're wearing.

And sometimes that's exactly what a young person needs.

We're looking for:

🐴 Horse people
🐾 Dog people
🚜 Farmers
🔨 Tradies and builders
👩‍🏫 Retired teachers
🎓 Community services, youth work, social work, psychology and education students
💙 Everyday legends who want to give back

You don't need to be a youth worker.

You just need to care about young people, enjoy working alongside animals and be willing to share a bit of your knowledge, experience and common sense.

📍 Based in Goombungee

Volunteer Induction Sessions

📅 Saturday 20 June – 9:30am–10:30am
📅 Friday 26 June – 4:00pm–5:00pm
📅 Tuesday 30 June – 2:00pm–3:00pm

We'll cover:

✅ Who we are and why we do what we do
✅ A look behind the scenes at our programs
✅ Keeping young people safe (and why it matters)
✅ The important stuff we have to cover... we'll keep the paperwork pain to a minimum 😜
✅ Volunteer and facilitator opportunities
✅ Free training and professional development pathways
✅ Meet the team, ask questions and see if we're the right fit for each other

Whether you're looking for:

✔ Placement hours
✔ Volunteer experience
✔ A pathway into youth work
✔ Something meaningful in retirement
✔ A chance to use your skills for good
✔ A place to build your own development in this space
✔ Or simply a good way to give back to your community
..we'd love to hear from you.

👉 Register your interest here:

https://animal-instincts-australia.splose.com/public-form/77c0c21c-a998-4dc7-9eb3-aa9c05e22c64

Blue Card required (or willingness to obtain one).

Come help us raise capable young humans.

One horse. One dog. One fence post. One conversation at a time.

Tools. Trust. Transformation.

⚡ REAL TALK ABOUT RESILIENCE

Resilience isn't built when life is easy.

It's built when the horse won't load.

When the calf you've spent weeks working with drags you across the paddock.

When your plans get cancelled because of rain.

When things don't go the way you expected.

When you're frustrated, embarrassed, angry, overwhelmed, or ready to quit.

The truth is, confidence doesn't come first.

Confidence comes AFTER you do the hard thing.

After you try.
After you fail.
After you get back up.
After you try again.

The world often tells us to avoid discomfort.

But growth rarely happens in comfort.

Not unsafe discomfort.

Not unnecessary suffering.

Just the everyday challenges that remind us what we're capable of.

The horse doesn't care about your job title.

The dog doesn't care how much money you have.

The cattle don't care about your excuses.

Animals have a way of stripping life back to what matters.

Show up.

Be present.

Stay calm.

Keep trying.

One step at a time.

And eventually, the thing that once felt impossible becomes second nature.

That's resilience.

Not being fearless.

Not having it all figured out.

Just knowing that when life gets hard, you can handle more than you think.

And sometimes, that's enough to keep moving forward.

🌾

Why Children With School Refusal (EBSA) Often Thrive in Farm-Based Alternative Provisions 🧠🌿🐎⚽

Over the years we’ve seen many children arrive who are unable to attend mainstream school due to anxiety, emotional overwhelm or EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance).

Yet something remarkable often happens.

Within a short time around animals, open space, sport and calm relationships, those same children begin to regulate, engage and slowly rebuild their confidence in learning.

There is real neuroscience behind this.

🧠 1. Regulation comes before learning
When a child is highly anxious, their brain is in a fight-flight-freeze state. In this state, the thinking part of the brain cannot fully engage.
Calm environments, movement and trusted relationships help bring the nervous system back into a regulated state where learning becomes possible.

🐎 2. Animals help regulate the nervous system
Animals respond to energy rather than words.
When children slow their breathing and body language, the animal responds calmly. This creates a powerful form of co-regulation and builds confidence without pressure.

🌿 3. Nature reduces stress and sensory overload
Outdoor environments naturally reduce cortisol (the stress hormone).
They also remove many of the sensory triggers that can overwhelm children in busy classrooms.

⚽ 4. Sport and movement support focus and wellbeing
Physical activity helps regulate emotions, release stress and boost dopamine — the brain chemical linked to attention and motivation.
For many young people, sport provides a positive outlet that improves confidence, teamwork and engagement in learning.

📚 5. Education remains at the centre
While practical and outdoor learning are powerful tools for engagement, maintaining strong foundations in Maths and English remains essential.
These core lessons are embedded into the day so that children continue to develop the academic skills needed for their future.

🤝 6. Relationships rebuild confidence
Small groups and consistent adults allow children to feel seen, safe and supported.
Once trust is rebuilt, children are far more able to re-engage with education.

At East Boldon Alternative Provision we see this every day.

Children who once felt unable to enter a school building begin reconnecting with education through animals, sport, outdoor learning, and supportive relationships — while continuing to develop their Maths and English skills.

Sometimes the first step back into education isn’t a traditional classroom — it’s a calm environment where a child’s nervous system can finally feel safe enough to learn again.

🐾 A Day with Purpose (and a Very Smelly Ace!) 🐾

Sometimes the best learning opportunities come wrapped up in the most unexpected moments... or covered in whatever Ace found to roll in out in the paddock! 🤦‍♀️🐶

After deciding that rolling in something particularly disgusting was a great idea, Ace was in desperate need of a bath. Thankfully, thanks to our new hydrobath, he didn't have to brave the freezing winter water and neither did the young people helping him get cleaned up!

The morning quickly turned into a practical life lesson. The hydrobath pump decided it had other ideas, so we loaded up and headed to Bunnings North to grab a replacement. Of course, no Bunnings trip is complete without a sausage! 🌭

What might seem like a simple dog wash became an opportunity for so much more:

✨ Working together to solve problems when things don't go to plan
✨ Building resilience and adapting to unexpected challenges
✨ Stepping outside comfort zones and trying something new
✨ Developing responsibility and care for animals
✨ Learning practical life skills in a real-world setting

One thing we see time and time again is the incredible motivation animals provide. Young people who may struggle to engage in traditional learning environments will often push through discomfort, frustration, uncertainty and even a bit of hard work when it's for an animal they care about.

Today wasn't about washing a dog. It was about teamwork, problem-solving, perseverance and discovering that challenges can be overcome one step at a time.

And thankfully, Ace is now clean, happy, and smelling much better than he did! 🐾❤️

🐴🌾 HORSES HAVE A WAY OF TEACHING PEOPLE THINGS...

Not because they're magic.

Not because they have all the answers.

But because they give honest feedback.

A study involving young offenders in the UK found that after working with horses, participants showed improvements in confidence, self-control, communication, focus and their ability to manage conflict. Many reported feeling calmer, less reactive and more willing to stick with things when life got tough. Researchers observed young people moving from being anxious, reactive and ineffective to becoming calmer, more confident and more capable of managing themselves and their interactions with others.

To be honest, none of that surprises us.

We see it every week.

A young person arrives frustrated, angry, anxious, overwhelmed or convinced they can't do something.

Then a horse asks them to slow down.

To be clear.

To be consistent.

To take a breath and try again.

To take responsibility for their own actions, energy and behaviour.

The horse doesn't care what school they attend or how many schools they've been expelled from.

It doesn't care about labels, diagnoses, reports, backgrounds or mistakes from the past.

It simply responds to what the young person brings into the paddock that day.

If they're frustrated, distracted or trying to force things, the horse will let them know pretty quickly. If they're calm, fair and consistent, the horse will meet them halfway.

That's why we believe horses are such powerful teachers.

Not because they're teaching young people about horses.

They're teaching young people about themselves.

🌾 Patience.
🌾 Responsibility.
🌾 Communication.
🌾 Resilience.
🌾 Leadership.
🌾 Trust.

The lessons aren't learned sitting at a desk. They're learned through doing. Through getting it wrong. Through having another go. Through small wins that slowly become bigger ones.

Sometimes the biggest achievement isn't a ribbon, certificate or trophy.

Sometimes it's a young person walking away thinking:

👉 "I stayed calm."
👉 "I didn't give up."
👉 "I figured it out."
👉 "Maybe I can do hard things after all."

And often, that's where the real change starts. 💙🐴

Reference: Hemingway, A., Meek, R. & Ellis-Hill, C. (2015). An Exploration of an Equine Facilitated Learning Intervention with Young Offenders.