PLAY program: Our Lady Of Lourdes Bayswater
Curiosity, fun and a strong sense of belonging were all front and centre for our recent visit to Our Lady of Lourdes Bayswater to the run the PLAY program with their Grade 5/6 Leaders.
This program was funded via Knox School Focused Youth Service — a State Government initiative that supports schools in maintaining young people’s connection with their education.
We were greeted by 25 students in Grade 5 and 6 who were ready to build their leadership and resilience through playing and learning new games. Each student brought a great level of curiosity and enthusiasm, embracing every game and challenge we threw at them. It was particularly inspiring to hear the different ways they students were discussing how they could modify and adapt the games to better suit different age groups and abilities.
In the afternoon we invited down all the Prep/1/2’s along so that our leaders could practice running the games with them. The leaders rose to the opportunity and were able to run the games in a fun and safe way with the younger students. The best part of the day is stepping back and watching the leaders in the afternoon, as you see them creating a positive atmosphere. And of course seeing the younger students smile and laugh having the best time is incredibly rewarding.
““We showed patience because the little kids needed time to learn how to play the games.We needed to be mindful of this when we demonstrated the games.” ”
The day was a fantastic success, instantly increasing connection, fostering a sense of belonging and building positive relationships among all the students in this small school community.