In this series of articles, we introduce you to our Peer Support Leaders for 2020, and their perspectives on providing support for younger students. Today, we get to know two of our year 12 leaders, Maddison and Amanda.
Meet two of our Y12 Peer Support leaders for 2020, Maddison Blincoe and Amanda Brabant. Maddison is the peer support leader for 8CLE and Amanda is the peer support leader for 8LIS. Every Friday, they go to their Year 8 homeroom class and interact with the students, introduce activities and lead prayers during homeroom.
The Peer Support programme is organised by Mrs Kevern and the leaders are given extensive training before they embark on this important programme.
Maddison says, “I really enjoy seeing the Year 8s every Friday and talking to them about the 5C’s of learning, the school values and other thought-provoking things in a fun way. We teach the students how to look at things from another person’s perspective.”
Maddison is caring, patient and likes to engage in conversations with students throughout the school. She plays the clarinet for the school’s concert band and is a librarian. Out of school, Maddison enjoys synchronised ice skating. She also participated in Peer Support last year and really enjoyed it because she was helping the Year 7s enter a new learning environment.
Amanda says, “I enjoy being able to communicate with the kids in my homeroom and learn more about them and their interests.”
According to Mrs Kevern, Amanda works well in a team and is great at communicating. Although she didn’t do peer support last year, she noticed that those who did really benefitted from the skills that they had learnt. Amanda is part of a photography group out of school and likes taking photos around the city.
Both Maddie and Amanda are thoroughly enjoying working with the Peer Support team, especially after having had to stop their work because of the enforced break, and they fully recommend getting involved in this important leadership opportunity. Amanda says, “It is a great opportunity that all year 10’s and 11’s should take next year. You learn a lot.”
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