Well done to the Year 11 VCAL students for their initiative ‘11 to 7 Talk Time’.
The students saw an opportunity where they could provide support to the Year 7s and help them with some of the friendship issues they may be experiencing as they transition into a new school. The students came and spoke to a Year 7 class and then provided a question box for them to put in any questions they had about friendship or things they were experiencing with their friends that they wanted to talk about with some senior students. They planned a Q&A forum, an engaging session where they answered the questions and related personal experiences relevant to the issues raised. It was a real success, and very affirming to read the feedback from the Year 7s who obviously enjoyed the session.
Mrs Helen Hamblin
VCAL Coordinator
In this project, ‘11 to 7’, we created a program where we could help the Year 7s settle into the new environment and help them with friendship issues and changes that come from being at a new school. We shared our past experiences about friendships with the hopes of helping them discover how to deal with certain situations that may arise when they come into their own as individuals.
The session was relaxed and came across as us just having a conversation with them which we believe made it more comfortable for them, as we made sure they didn’t feel like they were being lectured by the senior girls. We think the session went well as we received good feedback from the Year 7s. Some of their comments are below:
“It was very helpful because they explained the questions we asked with a lot of detail. They also had a funny joke here and there.”
“I learnt that during time, friendships may not last and that your friends may go off on different paths. But that's OK”’
“I liked that they had advice for us and I'm going to keep that with me until I need it.”
“I enjoyed how they spoke from their own experiences and they gave really useful and wonderful advice on friendships.”
“I learnt that it is okay to have more than one friendship group and it is very healthy to do so.”
“I’m going to do what they said and include more people, and be more open to making new friends.”
By Georgina D., Montana M., Sammie M., Madison B. and Georgia B.
Year 11 VCAL
