In May, Year 10 students participated in The Man Cave workshop which focused on the importance of good mental health for men. The students learn about the impact of poor mental health and the repercussions this has on the broader community, in particular violence against women. Students were taught strategies to manage their mental health, how to check in with a mate, and to show gratitude for the people around them.
At the end of the workshop, Michele Riali, the School Nurse, wanting to keep the rich conversations going, offered to come each Thursday lunchtime and hold a space for students to “check in” and “shout out” to someone who they were grateful for. A core group turned up every Thursday with others dropping in now and then.
The students decided to create a broader awareness about what they had learned by creating a project to share with the community. Chippin’ Away at Stigma – Breaking Down Rigid Gender Stereotypes was launched on the 12th September with a presentation and speeches in the auditorium. The students wanted to display the positive aspects of being a male inside the shed and the negative aspects outside of the shed.
They used a marquis for the shed. Michele arranged for a range of organisations such as Orange Door, Headspace, Darebin Community Health and Melbourne Polytechnic to come on the day. It was a very successful event. Congratulations to the Year 10 students involved and a big thank you to Michele for all her support.
