The team from Life Education Trust visited the college this week to host a workshop for our Year 10 students called SMASHED. SMASHED is designed to equip young people with the information and confidence to make responsible choices around alcohol.

SMASHED uses theatre and an interactive workshop to create a powerful learning medium. Students followed the stories of three characters in a 30-minute performance followed by a question-and-answer workshop, which explored the decisions the characters made.

The objectives of the session were for our young men to understand health risks, how alcohol can impact behaviour and decision-making, and to explore strategies to avoid peer pressure when they find themselves in situations where alcohol is present.

It was a safe way for our students to explore behaviour and decisions amongst peers by talking about what characters did or didn’t do, and alternative decisions that might have seen a different outcome.

We look forward to hosting future seminars to supplement students’ understanding of relevant topics and challenges that our young people may face in the future.

The St Bede's Centre of Wellbeing is holding a parent information evening on Thursday, 15 June, called Teenagers: Vaping, alcohol and other drugs. Registrations are now open. For more information and to RSVP, please email cow@stbedes.school.nz by Monday, 12 June.