Welcome to City Bound
The City Bound Program serves as a launching pad for the MYP Community project. You will spend 7 days in the city hearing from and being immersed in the experiences of people from different communities.
If you haven't decided on a community you would like to work with for your MYP Community Project you will still develop the following skills on City Bound which will benefit your overall project.
• Broaden your understanding of the different communities that make up Melbourne and their needs.
• Practice empathy, open-mindedness, and respect as you hear from others.
• Develop your interviewing skills
• Develop your independence as you navigate transport and the city.
• Develop your communication skills as you practice creating questions for and interviewing key presenters.
• Generate ideas by learning from social enterprise and community groups.
What Will We be Doing There?
You’ll hear from different community groups at City Cite, including an exgambler, a refugee, social enterprise groups and transit Police.
Off campus, you’ll hear from different community groups including a muslim speaker at a Mosque and a person who has experienced homelessness at The Big Issue.
There will be a tour of Melbourne’s streets and laneways explaining the implicit feelings of inclusion and exclusion (TW: there will be mentions of the impacts of domestic violence), and you will also visit the Magistrates’ Court and Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum.
The Mock Project & Creating a 'Pitch'
As part of the program, you will complete a mock project investigating a community group and its needs. The class will be divided into five groups, each focusing on a specific community (e.g., People Experiencing Homelessness, First Nations, Refugees, etc.).
During the program, you will be learning valuable organization and communication skills through mini-lessons. Skills include online researching, writing emails, crafting interview questions and conducting interviews. These skills will be ‘tested’ through a series of scenarios throughout the week.
On the final day, each group will pitch their insights, learnings and simulate a service plan for their community to the teachers. The service plan will explain what type of service you intend to offer your community group and your reasoning behind this decision.
Our camp is being held on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of Kulin Nation, and we wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We are grateful to be visiting their land and we recognise their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this land.
City Bound Camp Information
When
Thursday 23 April to Friday 1 May, 2026
Where
City Cite
Level 12, 474 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Accessed from Highlander Lane
Camp Staff
During the week, the leader of the program will be Jane Baker. You will also have a teacher from CityCite who is assigned to your group and many of your other Woodleigh teachers will join you through the week.
Emergency Contact
In the event of some crisis or unexpected development at home, urgent messages may be relayed by phoning the school on 5971 6100 or calling Jane Baker on 0490 807 864.
Transport
The First Two Days
• Arrive Frankston Station by 7.30am and get your name marked off by teachers.
• Travel home by train with a teacher and get dismissed from Frankston Station at approximately 4.00pm.
After the First Two Days
• Travel independently on the train (or stay elsewhere) and sign in at City Cite before 9.00am
• You will generally be dismissed from City Cite at 2.35pm
• A teacher will be at Frankston Train Station and catch the 7.49am train each morning and the 2.47pm train – so you will have someone to help if you need it
• Woodleigh staff will be onboard the train, however, they will have minimal interaction with students to encourage independence
• It is recommended that parents make contact with their children each afternoon to ensure they are scheduled to arrive at the estimated arrival time at Frankston Train Station.
• If you are catching the train from a different station on the Frankston line, we will be on the first 2 carriages
• We recommend checking the ptv.vic. gov.au website for train disruptions.
Travel Expectations
• Use the 3Rs when on the train at all times.
• Travel in small groups of no more than 6 spread across several carriages.
• You must travel directly to and from the city unless parents have notified staff in advance via the Microsoft Form or by emailing mypadministration@woodleigh. vic.edu.au.
Tickets
You need your own Youth Myki card which you can purchase for $5. Concession fare all day travel in Zones 1 and 2 is currently free.
If you are 16 or under, you do not required a MET concession card to travel on a concession fare, but you should carry your student ID with you.
If you already have a six-monthly or yearly student concession ticket, you can use this both in the city and to get there.
Attendance
If you are unable to attend, please log this in School Stream or by emailing absences@ woodleigh.vic.edu.au
If you are running late for any reason, please contact Jane Baker on school mobile 0490 807 864 and she will notify your Teams group. Please do not text this mobile
What to Bring
• Pencils/pens/notepad
• Macbook (not necessary for the first two days)
• Lunch/money to buy lunch
• Snacks, drink bottle
• Myki card
• Medication as needed
• Phone (charged with data)
• Woodleigh Student ID Card
Lunch
You are encouraged to bring lunch some of the time and to buy it some of the time.
Bringing your own lunch helps the budget, but buying your lunch doesn’t have to be expensive! Be careful and sensible about your choices. City Bound Staff have lots of great recommendations for lunch places.
What Not to Bring
± Large bags or backpacks: large bags or backpacks may not fit in trains, and may disqualify you from entering many city buildings. Learn to operate from a clip board, folder, or similar item as you will not be allowed to carry large backpacks.
± Valuables: these are your own responsibility and cannot be left in the care of our teacher or City Cite Staff. Please only bring what you need on the day.
± Skateboards, scooters, and bikes: these must not be brought.
What to Wear
• Dress required is smart casual
• Please check your group program and ensure you are dressed appropriately for the days activities, eg the Magistrate’s Court
• Please wear smart but comfortable clothes according to your program for each day
• Comfortable walking shoes are required
• Inappropriate dress will limit your participation in the program
Unacceptable Clothing:
± String or singlet tops, bare midriffs, visible underwear, short skirts/shorts
± Inappropriate footwear for walking
± Hoodies
± Beanies and hats inside
± Frayed, ripped or damaged clothing
± Clothing with offensive slogans
Medication
Any students taking medications on City Bound will need to provide all medication (in original packaging) to the school no later than Tuesday 21 April.
If you are asthmatic or anaphylactic ensure you have your medication with you each day.
Packing List
Mobile phone, fully charged and with data
Youth Myki card
Woodleigh Student ID Card
Money for lunch or a packed Lunch
Snacks
Drink bottle
Notepad and pen
School laptop
Medication if needed
Umbrella or jacket (weather dependent)
Program at a Glance
Here’s an example of what your program might look like (each class group will be different)
Thursday
9.10am: Morning briefing
9.45am: City Out & About
1.30pm: Police visit
2.15pm: Debrief
2.30pm: Dismiss
Friday
9.10am: Morning briefing
9.30am: Ex Gambler
10.45am: Project work
11.30am: Queen Victoria Market
1.15pm: Project work
2.15pm: Debrief
2.30pm: Dismiss
Wednesday
9.10am: Morning briefing
9.25am: Project work
11.15am: Mosque visit
12.15pm: Lunch
1.45pm: Group work
2.15pm: Debrief
2.30pm: Dismiss
Thursday
9.10am: Morning briefing
9.20am: Project work
10am: Eco Urban Walk
12pm: Lunch
1pm: Project work
2.15pm: Debrief
2.30pm: Dismiss
Monday
9.10am: Morning briefing
9.15am: Magistrates’ Court briefing
10.30am: Magistrates Court visit
12pm: Lunch 1pm: Intersection
2pm: Debrief
2.30pm: Dismiss
Tuesday
9.10am: Morning briefing
9.30am: Project work
10.15: Big Issue
11.15am: Lunch
12.15pm: project work
1pm: Refugee
2.15pm: Debrief
2.30pm: Dismiss
Friday
9.10am: Morning briefing 9.30am: Social enterprise
11.30am: Lunch 12.30pm: Group walk
1.30pm: Pitch
2pm: Debrief
2.30pm: Dismiss
Expectations
Normal School Rules Apply
The 3 R’s at Woodleigh act as sensible guidelines for your behavior in all areas of life.
For example:
• Respect for Self simply means doing your best, or in other words, not letting yourself down.
• Respect for Others means always respecting other people’s needs, feelings and opinions, especially members of the public.
• Respect for the Environment refers to the school, the community and the world environment.
You will be expected to follow Woodleigh’s drug and alcohol policy.
Issues that May Arise
Any inappropriate behavior or breach of Woodleigh’s Drug and Alcohol policy will result in a student being sent back to City Cite for the day, contact to parents and possible suspension from the program.
Safety Procedures
• A safety briefing will be conducted on Day 1 of the program by City Cite staff and by members of Victoria Police
• The city is intensively monitored on security camera (streets and buildings), has foot patrols of uniformed policy and a significant number of plain-clothed police and private security people.
• You must always be with a minimum of 3 people. Never leave your group and look out for each other.
• Keep your phone somewhere you can hear it, so your teacher can contact you.
• Do not approach people you don’t know
• Do not flash valuables around
• Do not use offensive language around others
• Do not wear headphones when walking around the city
• Try to use the toilets before you leave City Cite. When in public, go to the toilet in 3s and if you can’t go to the toilet as a group, have someone wait outside the main door.
Out and About Activity Safety
• You are required to operate in small groups. During Out & About time you will go out into the City in groups of 4-6.
• For some activities you may do so in groups of 3 only if approved by your teacher or City Bound staff member.
• It is important you have your teacher’s school mobile saved in your contacts and that you call them if you feel unsafe or become separated from your group.
• It is very important that you do not leave City Cite alone.
Woodleigh Student Card
Make sure you have your Woodleigh Student ID Card with you each day.
Mobile Phones
Your mobile phone is a useful and effective safety device. It is your responsibility to make sure it is switched on / on silent when appropriate and charged.
We may need to contact you in an emergency, and these measures are important safety requirements.
Learning appropriate phone etiquette (eg. turning your phone off or to silent in a meeting and on again afterwards, asking permission before taking photos) is another skill we hope City Bound will help you to develop. We will be using Microsoft Teams as a form of communication.
Emergency Plan and Contacts
We have emergency procedures both in the event of some incident occurring at the City Cite campus and in the event of something happening off campus. You will be instructed in these procedures on your first morning of City Bound.
In the event of some crisis or unexpected development at home, urgent messages may be relayed by parents by calling Jane Baker on 0490 807 864 if it is out of hours, by phoning the school on 5971 6100 or by emailing mypadmin@woodleigh.vic.edu.au if it is during the day.
Potential Scenarios
Stay calm, stay connected and follow the plan.
If you are running late, or someone is ill, or some other emergency
You must make contact immediately with the school and Jane Baker - 0490 807 864. The school phone number – 5971 6100.
If the building alarms go off and we have to evacuate
1 Follow the instructions of the teacher.
2 Be quiet and listen.
3 Sticking close to the others in a crocodile formation, go down the emergency stairs and round the building to the assembly point.
If you come back from an excursion to find our building closed because of some sort of emergency
Meet the teachers at the evacuation assembly point, which is at Custom House Lane. Phone City Cite or your class teacher or school if in doubt.
If you arrive to find Flinders Street and/or the whole area is closed off.
1 Go back to Southern Cross Station and meet the teachers on the entry concourse.
2 If there are no teachers at Southern Cross, stay put and wait. Phone Jane Baker on 0490 807 864 and/or School and let them know that you are safe.
3 Ring your parents from your mobile or a phone box and let them know that you are safe. Do not sensationalize or waste time.
4 Keep out of the camera/microphone of the media if possible but if cornered be a really good ambassador for your school by being calm and sensible
If there has been an emergency and, after a reasonable interval of time, you still cannot link up with City Bound staff by phone or in person.
Phone in to School Reception on 5971 6100 and ask for their help. (They have been briefed about what to do.)
If all else fails
Report to City Police in Flinders Lane (if you are at that end of town) or to the police on duty.
FAQ
What do I need to complete by the end of City Bound?
Your proposal for your community project. Remember, this may change after City Bound but you should have a starting point completed.
What groups will we be working in at City Bound?
You will be working in your English classes. Just like when you are on school camps or in classes at school you are required to work with a range of different people. There will be some times at CityCite when we are together as a year level and you will be travelling on the train together so there should be times when you can say ‘hi’ to your friends.
If we are ever required to move around the City independently, what size group will I be placed in?
4-6 (the group can’t be too big as it’s too hard to move around the city in a big number, the group can’t be too small for safety reasons. If someone is away you may still be able to go out in a group of 3).
How much free time do we get to roam around the city?
You don’t get “free” time as such. You have ‘Out and About’ Time where you are not directly supervised but you should still be in the area you let your teacher know about. During ‘Out and About’ Time you should still be completing work. Time for you to buy and eat your lunch is built in to the 'out & about' time.
Are there places we are not allowed to go in the CBD?
Please use your common sense hereunderground toilets, places that aren’t visible to others, department stores unless in emergency, shops selling inappropriate things for your age group.
Can we use e-scooters, skateboards and bikes to get around?
No.
Where in Melbourne are we going?
Mainly the CBD; there is one location near Lygon Street in Carlton.
Are we allowed to stay in the City by ourselves?
No, if you are staying with friends and relatives your parents should have notified the school. If this is the case, you are required to go directly to your accommodation.
If you are returning on the train you should go directly to Flinders Street once you are dismissed from City Cite and catch the first train home.
Will I need spending money?
You are welcome to bring your lunch with you or to purchase it in the city. We would encourage students to purchase lunch some of the time and to bring a cut lunch some of the time.
Please note that we will be visiting the Queen Victoria Market in the first week.
For some students, there will be no additional costs but allowing $20–$30 spending money for incidentals over the 7 days would be useful. There will be no time to shop in the city and that is not the point of the program.
Policies & Guidelines
Mobile Phones
A reminder that the Woodleigh School Mobile Phone policy will be in effect throughout the week.
Mobile phones are ONLY to be used for contacting staff/other students on this camp, or for educational purposes during activities and experiences. They are NOT to be used for any other purpose and will be collected at venues should this be necessary. All care will be taken, however, no responsibility will be accepted for confiscated phones. Mobile phones must be switched off at venues unless they are required as instructed by staff.
Emergency Procedures
We will be moving in groups, however, if you are separated from others or you are going to be late for any scheduled meeting time you should:
• Ring one of the accompanying staff on TEAMS.
• If you cannot contact any of the staff, call:
– School hours: School Reception: (03) 5971 6100
– After hours: 0482 888 022
You must realise that if you fail to arrive by the meeting time without notice, we will begin ringing your number (on TEAMS), and if you have not left a message and cannot be contacted, we will call the police and your parents.
Risk
There are elements of risk involved in this city-based camp, where students will be engaging in immersive workshops and using public transport. While safety ratios and requirements will be adhered to, we believe it is important to make you aware of potential risks.
These risks include but are not limited to:
• Safety risks when navigating city environments, including pedestrian hazards and potential interactions with strangers.
• Risks associated with public transportation, including delays, crowding, or becoming separated from the group.
• Exposure to weather conditions during outdoor activities or transit.
• Complications arising from a pre-existing medical condition.
To mitigate these risks, we will:
• Conduct safety briefings on city awareness and using public transportation, including group management procedures.
• Monitor daily activities closely and adjust the program if needed for safety or security concerns.
• Check student medical records and dietary requirements prior to camp, and ask parents to update health information on Consent2Go. Parents will be contacted if there are any questions or concerns.
Behavioural Expectations
• As a Senior Student at Woodleigh School participating in City Bound, there is a high level of responsibility and expectation with respect to behaviour. All normal school policies apply, in particular:
– Involvement with sex, drugs, smoking, vaping or alcohol is prohibited.
– A preparedness to participate wherever appropriate.
– Safety of all participants is paramount.
• Infringement of these policies may result in the student being sent home, at parents’ expense.
• Particular adherence to the advice of staff and specialist providers is required. This is especially important in relation to workshop safety.
• Adherence to meeting times is very important.
• During set periods of unsupervised time, you must remain in a group of 3 (inform
staff of the members of your group). You must have your mobile phone turned on and have TEAMS App downloaded on your phone (as discussed in the camp meeting).
• It is a courtesy to be respectful and positive at all events, even those you personally find less interesting.
• Each student is responsible for the immediate environment and must keep it tidy and not damage any of the surroundings.
Withdrawal from Camp
Policy Relating To Students Withdrawing From City Bound/Absentee Chargeback Post Camp.
City Bound is a compulsory part of the school curriculum and all students are expected to participate. Bookings and arrangements are made on this expectation.
In the event that a student withdraws from the camp due to medical reasons, the school requires prior written notice accompanied by a valid medical certificate. In such cases, families will be responsible for all non-refundable costs incurred, including but not limited to flights, accommodation, and other pre-paid expenses. For cancellations due to a change of mind or any non-medical reasons, families will be charged the full camp fee.
Sunsmart Policy
In keeping with the school’s “SunSmart” approach to outdoor activities, students are required to bring sunscreen, a protective hat (with a wide brim) and to wear tops which adequately cover the skin of the shoulders and back. In the event of swimming activities, students will need “rashies” or t-shirts. Sunscreen is an additional protection - it does not take the place of clothing or shade.
Nut Policy
On Camp, we request that parents/ students avoid bringing food products that contain nuts of any kind. In order to minimise the risk to students with severe allergies.
The school cannot guarantee that the camp environment will be 100% allergen free, hence students with allergies need to remain vigilant in their decisions around any food that they ingest.
Emergency School Contact
In the event of an emergency, or if you need to urgently contact your child, please do not ring the camp (or your child) directly but rather contact the school during office hours on (03) 5971 6100 or contact after hours on mobile 0482 888 022.
Respond To Consent2Go
To enable staff to fulfil their duty of care to students, we need accurate and up-to-date information about medical and personal issues for all students. Please respond to Consent2Go and ensure that your child’s medical information is up to date. Any lastminute changes should be communicated directly to the leader of the camp as well as updated on Consent2Go. We do rely on this information, and parents do have a duty of disclosure, to ensure all relevant information is known.
Information Collection Policy
Confidential medical and other sensitive information collected and used for the running of these camps will be handled in line with the School’s Privacy Policy.
Sending Home
Policy Relating To Students Sent Home From Camp
Where a student does need to be sent home, for medical, personal, or discipline reasons, they will need to be collected from the camp by their parent/guardian (at your own expense) - they cannot travel unaccompanied. In all cases, arrangements must be made with school and special arrangements may need to be in place for remote camps, ie. 3 or more hours from school.
Extreme Weather Policy
We will modify our program based on weather forecasts - we will be in contact with Woodleigh School to review the week’s weather as it unfolds. In the event of a day being forecast to be Extreme (under the CFA Fire Danger Rating system) the program will be modified at the least, to ensure safety in the heat, and evacuation plans in readiness. In the event of a day being forecast to be Code Red (Catastrophic), the program will be cancelled in advance and students evacuated the day before. The School will use SMS and email to communicate with parents in such cases.