At the beginning of Term 3 Year 8 and Year 9 were fortunate enough to participate in an incursion run by Brainstorm Productions. As part of our ongoing commitment to providing a safe and inclusive environment, the incursion included engaging and interactive live performances that reinforced important messages on topics such as mental health, cyberbullying, and respectful relationships. These performances aimed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to navigate challenges they may currently face as young adolescents.
The performances provided valuable insights and encouraged important conversations within our pastoral care classes. The immersive learning experience took students on a journey through different perspectives & emotions, demonstrated practical skills for self-awareness, self-management, social skills & help-seeking, addressed issues that matter to our students and provided realistic strategies that could be applied in their daily lives.
Some feedback from the day included:
“It was excellent, it really helped students understand issues from different perspectives and helped them think through real-life situations”
“I could really understand the message and it hit home alot more than I thought it would... the actors highlighted issues that people in my year have really faced … but did it through humour and drama so it wasn’t too full on”
This incursion also aligned well with the upcoming Bullying No Way Week, taking place from 12th to 16th August 2024. This week-long initiative is Australia's key bullying prevention campaign, aiming to connect schools and communities to find workable solutions to prevent bullying. This year, the theme for Bullying No Way Week is 'Everyone belongs.' It emphasizes the importance of embracing our individuality, respecting differences, and standing up against unkindness.
As a part of the week, Year 7 and Year 8 will have a seminar where people in our community including our local Police Liason officer will come and speak to them about how as young people they can make a difference in this space. In addition, on Thursday we will hold our first Student Voice meeting of the term, where we will discuss how to ensure that at Thomas Hassall we can make all students feel respected, have a sense of belonging, and be upstanders. If you are a student with a particular passion for this, please come along on Thursday at the beginning of lunch to N29.