After attending the two-day training sessions in December 2020, followed by afterschool training workshops in February 2021, the Year 12 Peer Support Leaders are off to a great start!
Every Friday morning, we work with a Year 8 homeroom to develop connections and provide a helping hand. We act as older brothers and sisters for the Year 8s to help them feel a sense of belonging at Sancta Maria College.
The underlining theme for the first Year 12 Peer Support Homeroom session was ‘Friendship and Conflict’, where we showed the Year 8s that it is important to accept ourselves and others for who we are and the differences that make up our identities.
The Year 12s were divided into 5 groups consisting of:
· Team 1 – Ellen Caudy, Mikaela Lai, Evin Lee, Seamus O’Rourke, Kenny Padathiparambil, and Ethan Saio
· Team 2 – Samara Anubhav, Adina Anselm, Paris Stephens, Jacob Tayag, and Adrian Vargas
· Team 3 – Jason Borromeo, Paris Chan See, Hayley Clark, Hannah Dangatan, Thomas George, and Camilla Isip
· Team 4 – Sharliz Ang, Sonia Chettiar, Flynn Cook, Stella Cranwell, Marie Patlong, and Ethan Rogacion
· Team 5 – Johnathan Aviet, Mary Crow, Jerseyleigh Gallardo, Ashley Liu, and Rosie Phung
The Year 8s within each class were split off into smaller groups so that their connection with their assigned Peer Support Leader would be strengthened. In these groups, activities that revolved around the theme and key message allowed for a clearer understanding of what it was about.
Although some of the Year 12 Peer Support Leaders were eager to start in their roles as older students supporting and mentoring their younger peers, others were nervous to meet them. However, after much planning, we were off to an encouraging start.
Johnathan Aviet, a Year 12 Peer Support Leader, was enthusiastic to meet his Year 8 homeroom. “My first session was very exciting. This is because we were able to play a fun game and in the process learnt each other’s names. This was very significant as each of our names are held very close to our hearts,” he said.
Another Year 12 Peer Support Leader, Sharliz Ang, gave insight on her first session. “Meeting with the Year 8s for our first session was very exciting! My class was very eager for us to be there and actively participated in our mirror activity. It was a great first session and we look forward to more sessions with them, where we’ll be able to get closer with them and teach them important lessons,” she said.
We hope to form trusting and caring relationships with the Year 8s and maintain them throughout the rest of our time here at Sancta Maria College.
