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Student Voice Hub

VicSRC has been busy for the past month attending engagements with stakeholders across the education sector sharing for your advocacy asks and student-led solution and advocating for student wellbeing. One of these was the Education State Guiding Coalition workshop with the DET. The Education State Guiding Coalition workshop is an opportunity for a group of individuals from different organisations within the education sector to come together and discuss possible changes and improvements that DET can make to better provide support for and understand the current state of student wellbeing.

Executive Committee members Derrick, Charlotte, and I plus VicSRC CEO Nina went to represent students, along with various other professionals in the education sector, where we were asked questions relating to wellbeing, P-10 assessment and family engagement. More specifically:

 (ha. ha.) questions were right up our alley and we had so much to share regarding the experiences of students during the past couple of years. Some of the things we spoke about included transferring the flexibility and comfort of remote learning to face to face classes, ensuring that well

being and academic learning are held to the same level of importance by teaching wellbeing strategies parallel to the academic curriculum and importantly involving the teachers in the wellbeing process – because let’s face it how can students be well if their teachers aren’t.

Another key point that the group focused on was the importance of holding vocational and academic education to and equal standard and level of ‘prestige’. This led to discussions around measuring success in schools as how many people get into their desired pathway instead of by ATAR, surprisingly many of the professionals there agreed that ATAR could be scrapped however unfortunately this would mean that universities are the ones who would need to change. It was also mentioned that parents, careers and teachers needed to shift from this idea that university is the only pathway to success.

Regarding the wellbeing of students the topic of respectful relationships also came up. Many said that there is a lot of pressure on teachers to achieve the outcomes outlined through the various respectful relationships and consent programs, and a way that this pressure could be eased is ensuring that such programs are all under the same umbrella so that schools have a clear direction of what to provide.

Overall, it was an extremely insightful experience. This was my first in person engagement and it was so fun to be able to represent different student perspectives and realise how valued our opinions as students are. The people there were so genuine about wanting to hear about our experiences and opinions on how support can be provided. They were also especially interested in how we see the education department as students currently in the system.

That was all the fun stuff that we covered during the day but before I say bye, let me share this very serious and professional quote that was said to us, “School is like broccoli, we don’t always want to go but its good for us”

What is it like to attend a meeting representing students?

It’s been a busy start to the year and once of the things VicSRC is most excited to have happening is our 2022 Ambassadors program. We had our first meeting this month and wanted to bring you the stories of some of the almost fifty (!!) students who came together to talk about their experience of education and raise their student voice.

Hi, my name is Muqtadir. I joined the VicSRC ambassador program in order to be able to contribute my ideas for education. I chose to be part of the Action Team working on inclusion, because I felt that people that had dietary requirements or were religious were not catered for, so I wanted to make a positive change. Here is my experience with the first meeting.

I walked down the busy street towards the VicSRC office, I was nervous yet excited at the same time. As I walked closer to the office, I saw other ambassadors, it made me feel even more nervous, but my excitement stayed. After waiting for a little, the ambassadors were let into the office and were guided towards a table on which were name labels which we wore to make it easier to identify and respectfully remember each other’s name and pronouns. We started by playing get to know each other games in which a person had to tell a fun fact if they won, this was a great game as I got to meet and learn things about new people! 

We then sat back down and talked about respect and about VicSRC. We then took a tour around the office; the office was filled with strange but funny paintings. After the tour, we got into groups to brainstorm ideas about issues related to education such as leadership in schools and course counselling. Then after a short snack break, we got into our action teams, my group focused on inclusion, we talked about issues like racism, and discrimination on the basis of LGBTQI+ identities and religion. Finally, in the end, one person from each team spoke up about their issues and informed everyone else what they were working on and what they discussed. Overall, the meeting was great, I learned a lot of things like contributing my ideas, talking and cooperating with others and how to show more confidence. I look forward to more meetings like this in the future.

My name is Jessica Lee and I am currently a Year 9 student.  It has been an absolute privilege being an SRC Leader at my school for the past two years because I highly value student voice and I love being involved with helping the school community as a whole.  When I heard about the VicSRC Ambassadors program this year at one of our meetings, I jumped at the opportunity to meet other student reps across Victoria, collaborate ideas as a team on wider issues and make student voice even stronger.

On Sunday 12 March we had our first in-person VicSRC Ambassadors meeting.  It was so exciting having this unique opportunity to meet with students from across Victoria to share and listen to each other’s school experiences with student voice.  The VicSRC team made us feel so welcome.  Through the meet and greet we were able to exchange ideas and learn how VicSRC acts as an independent organisation for student voice.  I think each of us had come packed with ideas of our own and were keen to learn from each other.  What we found was that a lot of the issues that we faced at our respective schools, were not limited to our little world, but were actually systemic across the education system.  Personally, I felt like I could talk for hours about all our experiences.  Having an outlet where we can bounce solutions off each other and work towards a collaborative plan to solve concerns felt so empowering.

I came out of the meeting on such a high and felt super charged that, with the support of VicSRC, we could actually give a voice to students and make a real difference to drive change.

Hi I'm Sema. I'm a Year 9 student and I've been working with VicSRC for the past year now. 

I came across the Ambassadors program through a family member and was keen to get involved almost immediately. Not only is it an eye opening experience, it has allowed me to gain new skills and learn more about how our education system works as well as the stakeholders. Us. 

That was 2021, and even now that I am familiar with the way things work, the first Ambassadors meeting of this year showed me that we as students and leaders in the education world continue to evolve and grow. Not only did the experience of meeting my fellow ambassadors fill me with a sense of excitement for the work coming this year, but it created an environment where I felt comfortable sharing my thoughts and opinions. I’m excited for what 2022 will bring, and the work ambassadors and everyone else at VicSRC will accomplish!

Excitement, collaboration and learning: the first 2022 Ambassadors meeting

Excitement, collaboration and learning: 2022 Ambassadors

Natalie and Scarlett didn’t expect to win the 2021 Videos for Change competition. Animation had always been just a fun hobby, and a creative way to complete some of their assignments at Camberwell Girls Grammar School. So the year 10 students from Melbourne were excited to receive a Winner title for their thought-provoking and powerful video Disconnected. 

Videos for Change is a competition that challenges young people (that’s you!) to make a video that makes an impact - in under one minute. Disconnected uses animation to highlight the information overload, anxiety and social isolation caused by COVID-19, with a positive message about how you can help yourself and others.

Scarlett said they picked this issue because “[we] provide a different perspective to what's usually heard in the media, and we can give nuance to the discussion through making videos like in this competition and sharing our news on social media in this growing digital world. We can bring up the issues that we're passionate about in school or in our communities and have conversations with the people around us to make our voices heard.” 

Natalie and Scarlett took teamwork to the next level through COVID-19 lockdowns - completing the entire production without ever being in the same room. This presented various challenges and there were times they even considered abandoning the project, but they pushed through. Natalie found “[it] was really rewarding for the both of us. Even though we weren’t able to see each other in person we were still able to communicate and work together in a digital space. We learned a lot about the creative planning process from brainstorming and ideation, to executing the final product. And we were also able to learn some more about animation and video editing, to expand on our previous skills.”

Natalie and Scarlett also asked their teachers to play the part of the journalists voiced in the animation. They requested that they “put on their best newscaster voices” and send through audio recordings reading out news headlines. In the Videos for Change competition, you can ask anyone to act or help out in your film production, but only the entering students can be part of the creative team. 

Scarlett and Natalie’s success in the Videos for Change competition gave them the opportunity to be interviewed on The Weekend Today Show. The featured story meant their film was broadcast on TV screens in households all across Australia.  

In their interview Scarlett said, “one of the main takeaways of our video is to just simply reach out to your friends and family members even when it seems like they're doing fine. It's really important to just check in on them.” 

Videos for Change was created to amplify students' voices, by challenging you to make a one minute video on a social issue that matters to you. Tell a story that inspires empathy, awareness and action for positive change. Students can enter either with their school or independently. 

To learn more about Videos for Change and find out how you can get involved, join our free webinars: https://bit.ly/3pjpTxt 

Videos for Change is delivered by High Resolves and is supported by the Paul Ramsay Foundation, in alignment with the shared vision to elevate the voices of those experiencing cycles of disadvantage and help students build a wider set of capabilities.

Learn more about Videos for Change Australia here: 

Learn more about the Paul Ramsay Foundation here: 

A message of human connection by two Victorian students with Videos for Change

A message of human connection by two Victorian students 

Students across Victoria are starting 2022 with a combination of hope and anxiety. We have demonstrated our resilience over the past two years but, like everyone else, we are tired. 

Last year, VicSRC declared a mental health crisis amongst students in Victoria and we are hopeful that the services and funding that has been delivered in response to the Royal Commission into Mental Health, will help alleviate this. But it is vital that our mental health is considered in every aspect of education.  

We need teachers, parents, carers, families and the community to listen to us and understand how serious this is. 

Student mental health is a vital a part of education because we can only engage, learn and perform to the best of our ability if we are in a healthy state of mind. We know that when we are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, not only do we lose concentration more easily, but our productivity also decreases. 

We should not under-estimate the difference that a supportive home environment can make to a student's mental health. For many students returning  home after a long day is their chance to recharge their mental battery, but if families don’t understand what’s happening at school or schools don’t understand what’s happening at home, this can create unnecessary stress for us. We are asking schools to prioritise positive family and community engagement by hosting regular events at school for families to promote, build and support effective relationships.

It is also important to have a trusted teacher at school who students feel comfortable talking to when they feel stressed or overwhelmed. And this trust begins with building meaningful student-teacher relationships. Student-teacher relationships has been identified by students as a key priority in 2022 and VicSRC recommends that schools create regular time to focus on building these relationships for every teacher and all students. Positive student-teacher relationships foster a collaborative classroom environment, where students feel safe to ask for support, and learning is a partnership. Key protective factors in supporting good mental health. 

We know that school has never been a place that is limited to knowledge from textbooks, it’s where we learn important social skills and life values, so why should learning about mental health be any different? In addition to trigonometric formulas and memorising history dates, it is equally important for us to learn about the importance of mental health and how to take care of ourselves and each other throughout our lives. During 2021’s lockdowns, having teachers and friends check in with us at beginning of classes or when we were quieter than normal, helped us feel valued and comfortable to open up.. Mental health needs to be part of education, so that we cultivate a mindset of support, self-awareness, empathy and understanding in all future generations. We need to continue to work together as a community to remove the stigma around mental health and seeking help. We need to encourage honest dialogue between students and their families and friends. Mental health needs to take centre stage, not a conversation to be hidden in the shadows. Each and every student deserves to know we have a strong support system alongside them throughout our schooling journey and beyond.

VicSRC is asking, on behalf of Victorian students, that all schools in Victoria consider making the changes outlined in our Schools Mental Health pledge so that students can feel more empowered, more supported and so we know that you are listening.

 to commit your school to taking action on student mental health in 2022. 

 as part of their Youth Matters column in partnership with the Youth Affairs Council.

Student mental health is a vital part of education

Student mental health is vital

This piece ‘Bacon Makes Us Human’ was originally written as a short film, but due to COVID restrictions, was modified into a short audio drama. The story takes place in an alternate universe in which, rather than idolising sex and its aspects, society idolises bacon. 

Jay’s experience is heavily based on Sy’s own, going through high school as an asexual (someone who doesn’t feel sexual attraction). In the story, Jay, after being introduced to the term through a friend (Amari), comes to find he is a-bacon (lacking the want for bacon), this being a relief to them as he often felt odd and separated from his peers due to this lack, similar to the experience many asexuals have before discovering asexuality. 

The intention of the story it to highlight the experience of people who are asexual, and point out how off putting the expectation for sexual attraction can be. Sy has often found that society places a high importance on sex and sexual attraction, finding its influence used in almost everything, such as advertising, music, and media. The idea that romantic and sexual love are what make us human is what this piece is trying to combat, hence the title ‘Bacon Makes Us Human’. While love can be expressed in sexual ways, sex is not the only way to express love and affection, and it is not what makes us human, our humanity is.

Sy Broom is a student living in rural Victoria, with their parents and sister. Sy grew up creating art and exploring different mediums, with a particular interest in film and music, but dabbling in other types of visual and written art. Their current creative outlet is through cosplay, with costuming, film, and music. They spend their limited free time in their community, particularly engaging with Skittles, the local LGBT youth group, and amateur theatre, but overall Sy is trying to focus on studying while they are still in school.

HEY series: Bacon makes us human

Several students sit in Zoom windows beside the words 'Hear from a 2021 Ambassador'

The VicSRC Ambassadors program has been one of the most amazing and diverse opportunities of my life. I heard about the program from some students at my school who had been doing the program for a while.

I have got to connect with so many people from across Victoria and from all walks of life. I have become close with my Action Team and am still in contact with them after the 2021 program has come to an end.

The program has allowed me to help make the education system a bit better by working with my Action Team to develop a program for mental health education and support. Our actions included devolving a mental health and harassment survey, developing and planning a series of activities for a mental health awareness day and more. Myself and my peers have delivered some of these actions in our schools and they were a hit!  

I have got to be part of so many unique opportunities that I would not have got to be part of if it wasn’t for the Ambassador program, like speaking at conferences and events.

I highly recommend giving the program a go and I hope I see you there in 2022.

Billy, Year 8 Students & 2021 VicSRC Ambassador

Apply for the 2022 Ambassadors program now!

What's it like to be a VicSRC Ambassador

2021. Or 2020 repackaged. Either way, 2021 was another rollercoaster of a year with lots of ups and downs. But it was also a massive year for student voice and agency across the state.

2021, much like 2020, continued to shed light on issues that affect Victorian students. It presented many questions that no one knew the answers to, and many hurdles that were difficult to cross. Among these challenges, a couple were harder to tackle than others, such as the effects of COVID on Senior Secondary Education and Mental Health. However, if 2021 has taught us anything, it's the importance and benefits of personalised time and support from teachers.

Teachers have had a massive role in supporting students over the course of this very difficult year. From anecdotal evidence and having discussions with my peers, it's clear that teachers have put in a lot of effort to engage, motivate and support students during both sudden and extended periods of remote learning.

Teachers at my school, for example, went above and beyond to organise numerous virtual lunchtime activities to engage students, such as Kahoots, open mics, and student-led co-curriculars (which are student-led sessions of anything - dancing, cooking, watching movies etc). Not only did this provide us respite from academic stress, but it also facilitated a safe environment for us to reconnect with out peers.

But sometimes, it's also about the small things in life. My maths teacher, for example, would regularly check-in with us, and ensure that we are prioritising our wellbeing over getting a maths exercise finished. She would even ask me about my latest endeavours at VicSRC, something that I'm passionate about and something that she knew would boost my mood to talk about, so even relatively small things like these truly make a big difference.

This year has emphasised the importance of healthy and positive teacher-student relationships, and I think it has also fostered a sense of gratitude in students. We have come to appreciate the little things, like our teachers checking in regularly, making jokes to engage the class and boost our mood, encouraging us to prioritise our mental health etc.

As well as appreciating the old way more, COVID has forced us to think of new ways of teaching and working. It's undeniable that COVID has had detrimental effects on and outside of the education system, however we should not lose sight of the silver linings, as I like to call them, of COVID.

Remote learning has forced the education system to think creatively and boldly. And as a result of this, we have learnt a number of new approaches that I believe should be embraced for the long term.

Through remote learning, students have noted on many occasions the benefits of being able to work at our own pace. Being able to guide our own learning comfortably and take breaks when necessary exercises independence within students.

Another example of a practice that should be continued is the usage of centralised portals, such as Compass, Google Classroom, etc. The use of these portals supports students to navigate their learning adequately, all from one place. It allows teachers to dispatch content, lesson plans etc. all in a single place as well. This increases accessibility at both ends, and supports student organisation and independence.

During online learning, students also remarked that there was an increased awareness of different learning styles. Teachers uploaded various resources, and utilised numerous mediums to deliver and teach, such as audio files, videos, live classes, visual files and presentations, textbook questions, etc. to cater for all types of learners. This is definitely something that, if continued, would benefit more students on a larger scale, and something that all students want to see happening right into the future.

On behalf of all Victorian students, I would like to say a massive thank you to the DET and all our teachers, who have gone above and beyond in these unprecedented and tough times to support students and our wellbeing. I hope you have a restful and joyful break!

2021-2022 VicSRC Student Executive Advisory Committee Member

Thank you

I always knew I was different. I grew up overseas, and didn’t have a dad that played for or coached the local footy team. I grew up in a family that loved and accepted me; they never cared who I loved as long as I was happy, safe and healthy.

Moving to a small town in rural Victoria was a culture shock. And it continues to be, even now.

Small towns are famous for their quaintness, and maybe a good pub or bakery. But it’s not the location or local attractions that make a town, it’s the people. Each town has its quirks, the local spot where all the kids go to hang out, the local footy ground which makes up the majority of social interaction for the residents, the cafe where the owner knows everyone’s order and asks about your nan and your dog. There’s a lot of other stereotypes that come along with living in a small town, and they aren’t all wrong.

I came out in the middle of year 10, about two years ago now. At that point, I was the only out queer student and that rocked the boat.

I had, and continue to have, an amazing group of friends and teachers who supported me through the ups and downs of coming out. But lurking in the shadows was the microaggressions and hatred that would fill the rest of my time. I was stared at in classes whenever LGBTQ+ topics came up, made to feel less-than in discussions, whispered about behind cupped hands.

Coming out was stressful. I had to make sure all my family in town knew before my peers and teachers because of the interconnectedness of the community. I had to hide my coming out from particular people, some from my daily life, to protect myself mentally and physically. Safety was something I thought about constantly.

Year 11 brought the Debutant ball. Presenting young virgins to society to find their future husband. Extremely old-fashioned and outdated. It’s been phased out in most areas, but country towns hold onto it like a childhood teddy. Tradition is extremely important in country towns, so it goes ahead every year.

Young, queer me thought it was a great idea to go with a girl, and that rocked the boat. Sparing the details, we pulled out after fear for our mental and physical safety in the lead up to, and on the night of, the ball. Our hopes of smashing the glass were quashed.

The fear of the backlash from parents and community members was too much for us to face. It was one of the worst periods of homophobia I have experiences. Accused of ruining the ball for everyone and going against tradition, I was socially isolated. This social isolation continues to occur now. Tradition runs through the veins of those who live here, and if you go against it, then you are out.

I know a lot of people who would not come out until they were as far away from town as possible purely because they knew what would be said – they knew they weren’t safe. Even now, there are places where I would not come out, mostly out of fear of being shunned.

You can’t change the way people think about you. You can’t change who you are. It’s hard to accept that you can’t change yourself or the environment you find yourself in. For a long time, I was angry at who I was because of how the community chose to treat me. When it seems like 99% of the people around you are telling you that you are not worthy or enough, the 1% of people who do who believe in and accept who you are seems even less.

With all the bad, of course, comes the good. The allyship of other students and a handful of teachers has allowed a blossoming LGBTIQ+ community within the school. There are continuous efforts to ensure that students and staff feel welcome.

For a long time, I had to advocate for what felt like was just me. In reality, it wasn’t – it was also for a whole bunch of amazing people who just weren’t ready to come out yet. I found my community, bonded by the fact that we were “different” from everyone else. These people don’t care who I am or who I love, and that is really special.

Less than four months out from graduating, I have been able to reflect on what the past two years in a small town as a queer person has been like. It has honestly been awful at times, but liberating at others. I have spoken to a lot of other queer people who grew up in small towns and they have all told me the same thing: “You are going to thrive when you get out of there, the world is bigger than it seems”. The confines of a traditional and narrow-minded town have stunted my growth. It’s hard to remember that the world is so much bigger and more accepting than what is around you right now; I forget all the time.

The thought that you are seen as less-than and unloved in the place you call home is a hard pill to swallow, but I promise every young queer person reading this right now, you aren’t less-than or unloved. I am rooting for you.

Claire (she/they) is a Year 12 student from North East Victoria who is passionate about working towards a fair, safe and accessible education system for students living with disabilities, in regional and rural Victoria, the LGBTQI+ community and from culturally diverse backgrounds. Claire served on the 2020-21 VicSRC Student Executive Advisory Committee and has excellent taste in podcasts.

Hey series: Growing up queer in a country town

This is a piece that made in collaboration with a close friend of the artist. Together the pair are able to show how people who are a part of the queer community aren’t giving up anytime soon. The collaborator helped with the initial sketch and was able to get Fox’s ideas onto paper. Fox observes “I tried to keep the main character as androgynous as possible to try and include as many people as I could. They are loosely based on me as a fantasy type warrior.”

Fox is a 16-year-old (he/they) who is questioning a lot of things, such as their gender and sexuality. He lives in a small country town with his mum, dad and brother. They also have a sister who moved out a couple of years ago. Growing up they always enjoyed art in lots of different mediums, but his favourite is probably watercolour or acrylic painting. Trying to navigate all the changes that they’re going through has been difficult with only a couple of people nearby other who might have a similar experience has been hard, but they’ve been awesomely supported by family, friends and their school.

HEY series: Warrior

Living in the country is very different to living in the city. After living in both for a considerable amount of time, I can be the first to attest to these differences. Something that isn’t talked about is the ‘old-fashioned’ behaviours and attitudes that many people living in country towns hold. Of course, this has improved over the years, but all it takes is one look at a community notice board to see how people would still rather not rock the boat.

‘Inclusive Sex Ed’ is something that students have been asking to be taught for a long time. Many schools have implemented stronger programs and supports for both teachers and students to learn about sex in a safe and inclusive way over the past few years, but our country schools seem to have missed the memo. We know that the curriculum includes these lessons, so why aren’t we being taught it?

This year is my final year of school, but I still don’t know much about queer sexual health. All I have is second-hand information from other queer people in my life, which should not be the way I learn the fundamentals of sex and sexuality. I shouldn’t have to ask the people around me what to do or if I need to worry about x, y or z when I’m with my partner. I see posts on social media, especially about queer women and non-binary people having to watch porn to even understand the mechanics of sex. As someone who has had to sit through my teacher speaking in-depth about how a man and women have sex, that’s obviously not good enough.

The double standards of sex education are astounding. We are taught about male pleasure, but not female pleasure. We get taught how to put a condom on a penis, but most of the people I talk to don’t know that there are internal condoms for people with vaginas too! We are taught about heterosexual sex and how babies are made, but no comment on queer sex. The only piece of information that I was taught during sex ed that was LGBTIQ+-specific was that gay men need to wear condoms. That was it.

This isn’t an isolated incident. I know other students are frustrated with the lack of information. Having only one student in a class who identifies as queer is not a reason for teachers to not teach inclusive sex ed, purely because there’s always the possibility that that one student isn’t the only person who will benefit from learning this information. And it’s not just queer students who miss out when the curriculum doesn’t include LGBTQ+-specific content – everyone benefits from learning about it.

This hush-hush nature of sex ed is reinforcing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” nature of being queer in the country. As a queer woman, being in those sex ed classes brought a sense of confusion and shame. I came out of them with gaps in my knowledge and an assumption that I would either not have to do anything around sex and safety, or that it was something unknown to anyone who wasn’t doing it, like a secret handshake.

A couple of years later and a lot more informed, I’m calling for a sex ed revolution. It’s not good enough that young people who identify as LGBTIQ+ have to seek out information around queer sexual health and safety on their own when their peers are being taught at school.

When it comes down to it, I personally don’t think teachers are comfortable enough talking about LGBTQ+ topics, especially in country areas. The potential for backlash from the community is huge and I think this is one of the biggest barriers to teaching safe sex. The fear from the community that learning about LGBTQ+ safe sex is “going to turn my child gay” is completely wrong – it’s almost like saying “teaching my child about grammar is going to turn them into a full stop!” I can tell you this, learning about sex between a man and a woman did not turn me straight.

In all seriousness, it takes a village to raise a child, and the village’s values will rub off on that child. Every teacher who takes the time to unpack the attitudes of a particular student is challenging the behaviours and thoughts that come hand-in-hand with hatred. I wish my teachers had done that, but they didn’t know how to.

Teachers in country towns need more support in teaching an LGBTQ+ inclusive and safe curriculum. When it comes to inclusive sexual education, teachers aren’t just teaching students, they are challenging the views of a whole community. They are helping students unlearn the homophobic attitudes that are obviously or unknowingly in the community.

Hey series: Inclusive sex ed in the country

HEY series: Inclusive sex ed in the country

This piece describes the journey of a child growing up and discovering their identity. At the beginning they have a want for understanding, why the world, and people, are the way they are, and this questioning is put towards their parental figures, in this case ‘mummy and daddy’, as they are at the time a young child. As the piece goes on, the child grows, they learn more about the world and themself. Now inquiring to ‘mum and dad’ about more complex issues, like: gender, sexuality, and mental health. Finally, at the turning point of adulthood, they come to realise that their parents don’t have the answers they’re looking for, and that the road to identity is a journey they will have to take alone.

HEY series: Believe me, I love you

from Swan Hill College and we’d like to take some time to share our group with you, which is something we are incredibly proud to have established!

The SAGA group stands for the Sexuality and Gender Alliance, and was established at Swan Hill College towards the end of 2018. This group was developed as a need was identified that involved forming a safe space that would promote acceptance and provide a sense of belonging for any individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and also include individuals wishing to be allies. This is particularly important given that Swan Hill is a regional country town with limited access to resources and support compared to metropolitan areas.

SAGA is held once a week and is open to all students and staff in attendance at Swan Hill College. We are also lucky to have external services such as YouthInc visit the group to offer support and resources.

Currently, the group has around 25 members, which includes students from Years 7-12 who attend regularly. This has been a positive for our group, as it means that we can include and listen to the voices of students across all year levels.

The vibe at SAGA group meetings is very laid back, but we do follow some kind of structure. We usually meet at 1pm and spend 10 minutes introducing ourselves. We start by saying our names, pronouns and something cool that has happened in the past week. Next, we discuss our decided topic for the session. This might include discussing what our next event will be (for example Wear It Purple Day) and then making plans about what we need to do to make that a success. Lastly, we play a quick game to ensure that our connection remains strong.

It took a while for us to create this space. When it first started it was a space where people could come and hang, however people were still on edge and not fully comfortable being vulnerable with one another.

A setback we have worked through is ensuring that every student has a voice and feels heard. This is particularly relevant for the junior students, where we must acknowledge that they are the future of our group and need to feel empowered. To ensure we do this, we dedicate specific time to each and every student so they can share any thoughts or concerns they may have. We never judge or dismiss the insights of our group members and members of SAGA know their input is valued. This means we are constantly working to develop the confidence and self-esteem of each and every member of our group. We validate concerns and offer support to one another, not just within SAGA but in the broader school community.

Additionally, like any new group, the school community did take a while to adjust to what this group means and the purpose of it. We were able to combat or address any of these uncertainties (which were mainly due to misinformation) by educating our school community about the need to create a safe, inclusive space where everyone can be accepted and respected for being their authentic self.

Some of the best moments have been when students have felt safe enough to be themselves and have talked about some of their own personal struggles. It has been absolutely heart warming to see a group that consists of students from all different ages, personal backgrounds, personalities and walks of life band together as one, and offer one another support. This has resulted in some students feeling safe enough to use the space to announce that they belong to the LGBTIQ+ community. For some students, this was the first place they said these words out loud and, by all accounts, it has been powerful to do this for both these students, and for their peers.

SAGA aims to be a continually active group that works to identify any existing gaps and plans how to appropriately and successfully address them so that our school community is a safer and more accepting community.

Some of SAGA’s proudest achievements to date have been

Currently, SAGA are working at promoting a gender-neutral toilet with appropriate signage.

It is our hope that SAGA continues to keep growing. We are incredibly proud of all the hard work we have put in and know that, by creating and maintaining this group, we have made other students feel safer.