Term 4 Week 7 2021

Hi everyone!

On Wednesday morning we spent some time at the Roxburgh Youth Centre discussing character strengths and values. Each student completed the VIA character strength survey which determined their top 5 strengths. We focus a lot on these throughout the program and aim for further development. In the afternoon, we visited Kangan Batman Institute in Broadmeadows, where the students were taken on a guided tour by Rachel around the campus and introduced to courses that the TAFE has on offer. Rachel presented to us in a big lecture theatre all about future options for the students if they decided to attend a TAFE Institute at a later stage including VCAL, VET, apprenticeships and traineeships opportunities. The students asked questions and left having a better understanding about TAFE and their future possibilities.

On Thursday we travelled to Britannia Creek Caves where we went caving for the day. We geared up with our overalls, helmets and headtorches and explored the wild cave. After our safety briefing, we all courageously squeezed through tights gaps and nooks, slid down boulders, crawled through holes, treaded through water and even saw some glow worms. For some students, this was a big challenge for them but they all did an amazing job! Together, they communicated effectively, encouraged each other and displayed leadership skills. We spoke about observing and acknowledging some of the reactions and symptoms we have when we feel anxious and nervous, including sweaty palms and increased heart rates. It is important to decipher certain coping mechanisms and use them effectively to calm us down.

"...at first I was really excited and wasn’t scared about going into the cave, once I got into the cave I could feel my heart rate going up because I was excited but also really nervous once we got out of the cave I was really happy to have made it out but at the same time I missed being in the cave and exploring different thing. The leadership role that the group showed was bravery and persistence, Bravery being that when we all got into the cave we didn’t know what we were walking into, and persistence being that there were a few times that were a bit challenging like getting over that big rock were we all had to work together to get over it, I would definitely go caving again because it helped us all work together as a team. I would rate this experience a solid 8.5/10" - Lily (student)

On Friday we went canoeing along the Yarra river. The students helped pack and tie the canoes and kayaks to the trailer before leaving Collingwood. There was a safety briefing before heading on the water and then once in their canoes, we did some drills to learn the functional ways to forward and back paddle and how to turn left and right. The students paired up and we made our way to the Studley Park Boathouse where we enjoyed a well deserved lunch. This day we focused on effective communication and how it is paramount to work together as a team to move forward. At stages, some pairs struggled but realised quickly that they needed to communicate better to achieve a better outcome. This day was great and we were very impressed by the students efforts and participation. Well done you all! We had another great week with you all! :)