Great Scot December 2019 Great Scot 158_December_ONLINE | Page 30

NEWS
SCOTCH BOYS WITH MLC STUDENTS DURING RESPECTFUL RELATIONS DAY
RESPECT, MATURITY AND THE FUTURE
Scotch’s Respectful Relationships Program developed further this year
Scotch’s Respectful Relationships
Program, launched last year, is designed
to support young people as they navigate
their responsibilities around consent and
conflict resolution, to help maintain positive
relationships with others and respect for
themselves.
Scotch boys have continued to develop
the program this year, with Year 10 boys
participating in a Respectful Relationships
Day and hosting a respectful relationships
student voice forum for 56 Years 9 and 10
students from nine schools. Later in the year,
a program focusing on issues relevant to
Year 8 students was set in place, based on
an action plan developed at the student
voice forum.
Here are six Year 10 Scotch boys’
reflections on elements of the Respectful
Relationships Program.
'This year, the Year 10 Scotch boys
participated in a "Respectful Relationships
Day", held on the Scotch and MLC campuses.
The day was run by student facilitators from
both schools who had participated in various
training sessions throughout the previous term.
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Great Scot Issue 158 – December 2019
'The content was based on the ideals of
a respectful relationship and how important
consent is. In small groups, around 14
students along with two facilitators (one of
whom was an MLC student and the other a
Scotch student) and teaching staff, discussed
in detail the topics that we, as facilitators,
had covered in great detail at previous
training days.
'The topics centred on scenarios
surrounding consent, what a respectful
relationship is, and how gender stereotypes
may influence career decisions. The
discussions many groups had about gender
stereotypes demonstrated how, as a
generation, we are moving away from typical
stereotypes that have been associated with
career choices.
'This program was particularly successful,
we believe, because of the student initiative,
which created a space where students were
free to state their opinions on particular
situations and topics without judgment.
Ground rules established early in each
group allowed the conversations to remain
respectful, yet also permitted students to
voice their views, knowing they would be
heard. Facilitators gained valuable experience
from feedback received from group members,
enabling them to modify the style and
structure of the activities.
'The collaboration between the two
schools allowed respectful friendships to
form, as well as instilling valuable knowledge
and concepts that will stay with students from
both schools as they enter the next stages
of their lives. We thank Ms Emma Gates and
Mr Nick Clark for their efforts in organising
training days for facilitators from both schools,
and for providing us with valuable direction
and advice.'
WILLIAM HUTCHINGS and EDMUND FANG
'In 2018, three Year 10 and three Year 9
boys attended a forum at Doncaster College
which explored many themes underpinning
respectful relationships. The outcome of this
event would see the six Scotch boys devise
an action plan to promote the ideals of a
respectful relationship to the Year 8 students
this year.
'Following the impetus created in 2018, on
30 July this year a team of four Scotch Year 10
students hosted a Department of Education
and Training Respectful Relationships