Peace Education Initiative at St Albans Secondary College
St Albans, Melbourne – June 13, 2024 - In a dynamic partnership with Acts of Random Kindness Victoria Incorporated (ARK VIC), Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) has launched an innovative Peace Education initiative at St Albans Secondary College. The program, focused on "Peace Education through Sport," aims to foster personal development, teamwork, and a sense of community among students.
A total of 38 students from year 10 participated in the workshop. Short soccer games and activities were used to engage the students in the workshops and illustrate each of their own value, importance of teamwork, and practicing communication. Students were also highlighted the importance of discipline and being proactive as they move to VCE/VCAL next year.
St Albans Secondary College, a co-educational government secondary school in Melbourne’s western suburbs, is renowned for its diverse student population and commitment to inclusive education. The school serves students from Years 7 to 12, offering a broad curriculum that includes the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs. Despite the vibrant cultural diversity, the school faces significant challenges, including language barriers, socioeconomic disadvantage, low self-esteem among students, and varying levels of academic preparedness.
Recognising these challenges, HWPL and ARK VIC designed a comprehensive workshop series for the Year 10 students. This initiative, known as "Peace Education through Sport," blends HWPL’s 12 core lessons with ARK VIC’s health and well-being workshops, creating a holistic approach to student development. The HWPL curriculum covers topics such as personal values, respect, gratitude, altruism, and the importance of heritage. ARK VIC’s workshops enhance this foundation by addressing mental, physical, and social health.
The program was inaugurated with a compelling 30-minute speech by St Albans alumnus and HWPL Peace Education graduate, Jonasi Eangano Singehebhuye. Addressing over 300 Year 10 students, Mr Singehebhuye drew from HWPL’s Lesson 2, "My Value, My Role, and My Influence," to encourage students to pursue their individual goals proactively. His speech, filled with personal anecdotes and motivational insights, left a profound impact on the students, setting a positive tone for the workshops that followed.
Following the assembly, the HWPL team, in collaboration with ARK VIC, led the students through various interactive activities and games. These exercises were designed to simulate teamwork, enhance communication skills, and help students understand their personal value and influence. By engaging in these activities, students learned the importance of cohesion and the significance of seizing opportunities.
In a collaborative effort with ARK-VIC, the workshops integrates sports with traditional education. This innovative approach aims to maximize the learning experience for students by harnessing the unique potential of both physical activity and academic engagement.
The response from both students and teachers was overwhelmingly positive. Many noted the workshops' effectiveness in boosting self-esteem and fostering a sense of belonging and community among the students. The interactive nature of the sessions and the relevance of the content to the students’ everyday lives were particularly praised.
"I liked how everyone was encouraged to get involved. Everyone had to work together and get involved in order to do the games.”
“I think i wouldn't change anything about the activites, the games were really fun, and i like how everyone had a chance to be part of everything, and i like we had to communicate and work as a team in all of the games."
- students reaction after the workshops
Given the success of this initial workshop, HWPL and ARK VIC are exploring the potential for ongoing collaboration with St Albans Secondary College. Plans include specialised classes and after-school programs focusing on empowerment and blended learning, tailored to support students struggling with mainstream education. These initiatives aim to address not only academic challenges but also the broader aspects of student well-being, including social skills, leadership, and mental health.
Participation in sports can cultivate valuable values and characteristics in students, including a sense of self-worth, the importance of contributing to a team, effective communication, and collaborative problem-solving. These skills, mirrored in the principles of HWPL peace education, prove highly transferable to future endeavors in the real world.
