Respectful Relationships Student Panel
After the tragic murder of the 11-year-old Tyabb boy Luke Batty at the hands of his father in 2014, Australia set up its first Royal Commission into Family Violence. In 2015 the commission made its recommendations to reduce the impact of family violence in our community.
One of those recommendations was that schools should play a vital role in the early intervention and prevention of developing attitudes of violence, especially gendered violence. This along with the creation of community child safe standards, brought about the development of the Respectful Relationships Program Victoria wide.
Respect is an interesting term and can mean different things to different people. I don’t believe there is any confusion around what “disrespect” looks and feels like. Put simply respect it is the act of being polite and kind and to show respect is to treat people how you would like to be treated. This is also a central message of our Catholic faith tradition. Respect ties in with our eXcel theme of being the best version of ourselves along with our North Star whereby we are all encouraged to utilise our God given talents, make a positive impact on the world and to strive to be the best we can be.
Padua College has committed to action in engaging our school community with the respectful relationships initiative as part of eXcel program, part of our excel days but also as part of our whole school approach to the development of the individual. So this includes our behaviours both inside and outside of the classroom.
We recognise that we have great potential to create change.
Our school is a:
- Space for young people to learn
- Workplace where all staff, students and families deserve to feel respected, safe and valued
- Community hub with the opportunity to lead, influence and contribute to healthy community culture.
The next stage in this program is the development of each campus' Respectful Relationship’s team, and we called for volunteers among staff and students earlier this year. These teams got together with the task of assessing where Padua College is at in creating a respectful and safe environment for our students and staff.
On 9 August, in eXcel, they had the opportunity to share some of their findings with the whole school. I thank those brave students for getting up and showing great courage and vulnerability to present on this important topic. They were:
Tash Fraker , Tom McInnes , Alannah Deutsher, Nathan Jinks, Persia Taranto, Yasmine McCoy, Louis Hodder, and Logan Shelley, along with Mr Matt Laurie and Mrs Simone Wright as hosts.
Student Empowerment Professional Learning Day
Further to our challenge in the wellbeing sphere to prioritise student voice and the ways in which the college can build student engagement and connectedness we held a Professional Learning Day with e focus of Student Empowerment.
Voice is not simply about giving students the opportunity to communicate ideas and opinions, it is about students having the power to influence change. Authentic student voice provides opportunities for students to collaborate and make decisions with adults around what and how they learn and how their learning is assessed. When students are invested in the process, student outcomes and wellbeing are improved.
Led by Mr Phil Helisma (Co-Director, Padua Rosebud Campus), our staff experienced student-led drama performances, student debate, musical items, and an improvised student and staff panel discussion on the challenges of building empowerment and fostering positive and respectful relationships, engagement, and connection within our community. A big thank you to all the students who not only gave up their time but helped to deliver the content in an engaging and meaningful way.
eXcel Days and Events
Our data over the last 18 months through counseling services and pastoral care indicates to us that Mental Health and Relationships are two of the biggest issues facing our students. If you have had a conversation with colleagues at other schools this year you would see that this is a reality faced across the board in secondary schools.
It reinforces the need to have structures that address improving mental health literacy as well as building belonging, connectedness, and engagement in the promotion and preventative space. Without investing in this space we will find ourselves chasing our tails all day long.
This is where eXcel fits into a whole-school approach to enabling, connecting, engaging and learning. The eXcel program is our social & emotional literacy program used in conjunction with the Melbourne Catholic Education Wellbeing Framework. We treat the Wellbeing and Pastoral Care of our students as having the utmost importance to all of us here at Padua College. Of course this does not just happen explicitly in eXcel but it is a timetabled session that certainly helps.
Year 11 eXcel Day
On Tuesday 30 August, each senior student participated in
Fit to Drive
Fit to Drive’s flagship program offers Year 11s a unique opportunity to examine the complexities of decision-making and risk assessment as a young road user. Guided by our dedicated team of facilitators, students are taken through both large and small group activities, assessing what practical tools and strategies are needed to effectively keep themselves and their mates safe on the roads. At each stage, students are encouraged to discuss and share with each other their thinking about different road safety issues. The expertise of local Victoria Police and Fire Rescue Victoria officers are utilised as students are taken through the nonnegotiable facts surrounding road laws and a relevant real-life case study.For more information on any of these topics please look through the website
https://fittodrive.org.au
House Community Building
Run by Year 11 Padua student leaders aimed at creating a space for the students to build a sense of community and belonging within their Houses. Our Year 11s wore casual dress on Tuesday 30 August and provided a sausage sizzle.
Year 10 eXcel Day
Year 10 ‘Unpacking the ManBox’ Incursion
On Tuesday 30 August, all our Year 10 students participated in a seminar called ‘Unpacking the ManBox’ which was focused on promoting healthy masculinities.
Why focus on healthier masculinities?
The benefits of helping men break free from limiting gender stereotypes flow to everyone. All health and wellbeing initiatives can be strengthened by considering the influence of masculinities, from mental wellbeing or healthy eating initiatives, through to preventing violence against women or preventing harm from alcohol.
What do you mean by healthier masculinities?
Masculinity is an evolving social construct that people use to describe a set of practices, attitudes and behaviours that instruct what men and boys should be and how they should act. It also includes social norms, the unwritten rules about how to behave in society. While not all men conform to these expectations, most feel the pressure to do so. We see healthier masculinities and harmful masculinities expressed through our attitudes, behaviours and practices, our relations with others, and through social norms and structures. Healthier masculinities are characterised by equality and respect, non-violence, reflection and self-awareness, emotional expression and vulnerability, and accountability.
For more information please visit the Jesuit Social Services website:
https://jss.org.au/what-we-do/...
R U OK?
The Importance of eXcel
Later this term we will be running activities for RUOK Week, 5-9 September. Below is a quick guide on how we can check-in with anyone.
School TV
Today’s parents face a multitude of modern-day challenges in raising happy, well and resilient young people. Whilst there is a great deal of information available, this can often be confusing and overwhelming for parents looking for guidance.
At Padua College we have subscribed to SchoolTV an online resource designed to empower you as parents with credible and sound information with realistic, practical ongoing support strategies. Here, you'll find a range of topics each published monthly with comprehensive videos from leading specialists and organisations.
The information can be accessed by visiting the College website:
PADUA COMMUNITY > Padua Parents > SchoolTV or following the below link
Link - School TV https://padua.catholic.schooltv.me/launch
Having a sense of belonging involves more than simply knowing other people. It is also focused on gaining acceptance, attention and support from others, as well as having the opportunity to provide the same to other people.
When the pandemic interrupted our lives and changed the way we live, this meant that suddenly many of our young people’s main sources of connection with peers and extended family members was removed overnight without warning. As human beings, we have a basic emotional and biological need for connection. It provides us with feelings of identity, security, support, acceptance and community.
Students who have a sense of belonging will experience these feelings which in turn supports their academic, psychological and social development. When young people come together again after a period of instability, there is a period of adjustment. Whilst the rules of the group may be established, acceptance remains paramount and can therefore mean some behaviours become far from rational, making it difficult for their brain to focus on things, such as learning. All these factors combined, leave young people open to being vulnerable. It can sometimes tempt them into making choices or becoming involved in situations they might not ordinarily consider.
As a result of the pandemic, there are still many young people struggling to connect and regain their sense of belonging. This Special Report provides guidance to families who find themselves in this situation. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to your special report https://padua.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-building-belonging-post-pandemic
