YARRA TERM 3 WEEK 6 2022

Hi everyone,

We kicked off this week on Wednesday the 17th of August in the classroom, focusing on positive interactions. The crew participated in a series of roleplays to practice engaging in positive interactions, allowing them to get a sense of what positive interaction can look and feel like in a range of different situations. Positive interactions promote the use of empathy, increase our ability to cooperate with others and increase our own self-esteem; which are all elements that help build healthy relationships. We then headed over to Richmond recreation centre to utilise their awesome gym space and engage in a gym session. The crew utilised their previously created personal programs, while being supported and assisted by a personal trainer to get the most out of this session. This helped them learn the importance of warming up and stretching, whilst also being shown correct form and safe use of equipment. We then headed to the Yarra Youth service to engage in another awesome spray painting workshop. The students were able to let their creativity flow by using spray paint and a range of different techniques to create a board piece which will be shown at their graduation. They were also able to have free reign on the walls of the outdoor graffiti area at the Yarra Youth service. This space allowed the crew to portray their own styles and skills in cool different ways.

On Thursday the 18th we settled down back at the Yarra Youth Services and used their open space to get some journaling underway. The crew, all with their own tasks, effectively took on this challenge with the prospects of free time to play a game of pool, table tennis or even draw on the whiteboards. After this we were taken through a drug and alcohol presentation by our own support worker Bede. This helps to teach students safety measures and ways to reach out and seek support when struggling with these issues. We then moved on to Collingwood Children’s farm where we were greeted and welcomed into their newly formed shed space. After being introduced to the staff helping us, we made headway on our individual projects, bird houses! These little boxes all held their unique edges as the crew had full lead on how they created their own finch boxes. We were also introduced to using environmentally friendly materials, by using recycled materials from old fence palings to build our boxes. After completing our own boxes we headed around the farm in a quick tour where we were even able to hug and pet some goats.

Friday the 19th saw the crew heading out to the Yarra river where we went canoeing. This activity required the collective to show and use all our group values while working as a team to ensure safety and overall enjoyment of the activity. Students had to communicate with their canoeing partner in order to flow as a unit and follow the river in the right and safe direction. They were also able to use positive interactions which we worked on earlier in the week to work as a team and support each other in a positive and uplifting manner. The crew worked really well as a collective to really seize the most of what was a great day out on the water! After a great morning we then headed over to do a landscaping session at Melbourne Polytechnic in Fairfield. Being graciously led by two of the landscaping experts at Melbourne Polytechnic, our group teamed up and set out to create their own pavements. Each pair did amazingly as listening and following precise instructions which ultimately lead to their perfectly placed pavement square blocks. This activity, though straightforward, allows students to get their hands dirty and see exactly what it may take in taking on a trade, and might have even opened some potential pathways for some of the crew.

!NOW FOR OUR WEEKLY STUDENT REVIEW!

!THIS WEEK IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ISHMAEL!

This was the second time we visited the gym, what was your motivation to get through this session, and did you set any goals?

“NOPE I DIDN’T SET ANY GOALS, I FELT COMFORTABLE TO HAVE SOME FUN AND MESS AROUND THAT MOTIVATED ME.”

Did you enjoy the Yarra Youth Services spray painting? Would you use these services again?

“YEAH IT WAS PRETTY DOPE, OH YEAH MAYBE. HAVING A LITTLE PAINT AND KICKING IT, FILL THE TIME WITH SOMETHING FUN AND FREE.”

What did we do at Collingwood Children’s farm, how was it successful and were there any challenges?

“WE TALKED TO THE PEOPLE THERE AND MADE A BIRDHOUSE, A FINCH BOX, AND LOOKED AT THE ANIMALS, PETTING SOME GOATS AND STUFF. YEAH IT WAS PRETTY GOOD, NOT REALLY ANY STRUGGLES FOR ME.”

With canoeing we utilise a lot of communication between the groups, do you think we did this effectively? How did we do it and any room for improvement?

“YEAH, IT’S TELLING THE OTHER PERSON WHAT TO DO, POLITELY. ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVING.”

What was something you achieved this week and what was a struggle?

“FULL ATTENDANCE AT NEWSTART, DIDN’T REALLY STRUGGLE WITH ANYTHING THIS WEEK.”