As a school we see the importance of our young men being more aware of potential issues and situations that they may come across in our community both now and in the future. Having the knowledge but also the confidence and strategies to deal with situations is good for personal growth and important for the community as a whole.

The YMCA’s Resiliency Toolkit promotes the development of life skills young people need as they transition to adult life, so that they’re able to bounce back from whatever life throws at them. Because of the YMCA’s expertise in personal and youth development, we emphasise ‘learning by doing’, rather than imparting information. Our youth development facilitators are focused on ‘unpacking’ what young people know, giving them supporting information appropriate to their age, and then taking them through hands-on, realistic scenarios where they can put that knowledge into practice – and draw on it in their personal lives.

These life and resiliency skills are delivered within the context of five key areas: Managing Stress, Social Media Savvy/Cyber safety/Cyberbullying, Healthy Relationships/Sex and Respect, Decision-making re: Alcohol & Drugs, and Peer Support.

YMCA is excited at the opportunity to work with Year 13 students at TBHS. Here’s some of the Peer Support information that we’ll cover with them:

· Ethical Bystanding: what is an ethical bystander, skills needed to be an ethical bystander, tips and strategies for being an ethical bystander towards friends and peers, solutions to barriers to being an ethical bystander.

· Sex & Consent: When consent to sexual activity is not possible under the law, potential harmful situations that can occur amongst their peer group, ethical or respectful alternatives to gaining and understanding consent to sexual activity.

If you have any questions regarding the above please contact the Rector, or Year 13 Dean, Grant McFarlane

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