Vetamorphus is a national Discipleship program that focuses on raising up a generation of young leaders to reach beyond the potential they see in themselves into the potential God has prepared for them. It is a nationally recognised coursed (via the Australian Qualifications Framework) which accredits senior secondary students with Certificate III in Christian Ministry and Theology, as well as counting towards a school subject Unit (in Victoria this covers a Unit 3+4 VCE subject). The course is available in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria (Victoria having just fewer than 100 students this year, which has doubled since 2007) and its aim is to be an Australian wide subject choice.

In 2007 I completed my VCE at Glen Waverley Secondary College, and as one of my subject units I participated in the Vetamorphus Program. In my year, there were approximately 40 students in Victoria with about 7 students, including myself, in our region cluster (which branched from Glen Waverley to Upwey).
When I took the course I saw it as a subject I could breeze through (having the mentality that no one can really grade you on your personal belief system) I now looking back and realise that this was the exact grounding and stepping stone that led me to wanting to know more and experience more through my Christian Journey.
So when I heard that Vetamorphus were a Peer Group Supervisor short in the Doncaster cluster region, and there were five 17 year olds wanting to read and study the bible, I got really excited at the possibility of being able to partake in the Vetamorphus Program once again but with a different insight.

Shaun, Merrily, Ginger, Ronald (participants from Glen Waverley Secondary College) and Aaron (a member of our own congregation) meet with me once a week at GWUC. Mark Philpott (GWSC chaplain) and Alanee Hearnshaw also come along to help out some weeks as well.
We focus on mainly an action/reflection model of learning in order to assist in vocational training as well as allowing ourselves to step back and let God to do his work.
Students have to participate in 6 core requirements over the year:

  1. Peer Group – meeting once a week to allow students to inspire each other to grow.
  2. Ministry Practice – allowing students to lead in a Major Project, of their choice, using the gifts that God has equip them with. As well as their Live-in Project, which allows students to experience working in a team with a group of people all trying to serve in the same way with their different contributions.
  3. Private Study – over the year the students aim to the read and journal on the whole New Testament. Any questions arising from their private studies are brought up in Peer Group and discussed.
  4. Mentoring – students are asked to meet monthly with a mentor of their choice to discuss any concerns that they may be having; spiritually or non-spiritually.
  5. Retreats – over the year there are 3 retreats where students have the chance to hang out and learn along side with the other participants around Victoria.
  6. Christian Community – students have to participate in their Christian Community, allowing them to put their ministry major project and live-in project into action.

I am really excited in being able to participate in the Vetamorphus Course this year and I am looking forward to what it is going to bring for the students as well as what I am going to learn and experience over this coming year.

Kelly Skilton

KellySkiltonVetamorphus (last edited 2010-02-17 03:50:42 by DavidMorgan)