Newsflash

Phase Two

In 2008 Smart participants and their Smart Mentors from the 2007 program together with the Wesley Mission Brisbane staff completed phase two which was to deliver a ‘pilot’ forum to 5 high schools from our local area trialling the new support material and showing students and teachers what they created in a professional environment. (This was generously sponsored by Wesley Mission Brisbane) All the ‘Smarties’ shared their stories, showed the film, sang their songs live, performed some hip hop dancing and helped conduct activities from our newly developed workbook. We all had lots of fun, some very interesting discussions and loads of sharing and learning. The forum was a wonderful way for the ‘Smarties’ to feel the success of their hard work and gain positive feedback from the community!!

Phase Three

In 2009 Fiona developed a facilitator’s guide (as seen on the order page) to add to the film resource pack so that Teachers and Trainers have everything at their finger tips, ready to go! Fiona and Jade (a Smart Ambassador) conducted an ‘action research trial’ utilising the film resources within a workshop format! This was done with the Year 8 Form Teachers and all the Year 8 students (220) within Nerang State High School (on the Queensland Gold Coast) They had support from a research assistant associated with Griffith University and the trial was financed by Wesley Mission Brisbane Community Service Division. Nerang State High School Staff implemented the full program with all their Year 9 Students at the end of the forth term 2009 with great success and feedback!

Comments and feedback from the workshops:
Jade (Smart Ambassador) said – ‘At first I was really nervous but then I thoroughly enjoyed the forums with the students and teachers. I felt like we really helped them a lot!!’

Trish Berryman, (Deputy Principal Nerang State High School) - ‘Fiona - thanks so much for all your enthusiasm and efforts in making our ‘Walk In My Shoes’ Program such a success! We’ve all benefited from our involvement’

To Bec in the film:
In the video I watched and listened to you.  You taught me that being ‘Emo’ or ‘Goth’ or simply just different isn’t a bad thing! You also taught me that getting bullied doesn’t actually make you weak it makes you stronger.  You’re a real inspiration!  Georgia

Dear Juzzo
I’m so happy for you. You were a bully then you changed your ways.  That makes me wanna’ be a nicer person.  Thanks Tom 8P

After successfully conducting workshops with youth support co-ordinators, teaching staff and students from a variety of high schools and community programs in 2009, Wesley Mission Brisbane is supporting me in 2010 to take the workshops into the broader community (rural Australia). After a fruitful visit to Longreach in October 2009, interest has been generated in other Queensland towns so I am planning to travel to Bundaberg, Mt Isa, Charters Towers and Atherton early this year to conduct workshops with community organisations and schools!

Rachael (a Smart ambassador) and I were invited to speak on ‘Phoenix Radio’ at the University of Southern Queensland (the Springfield Lakes campus) about the experience we gained from producing the film. USQ also invited me to participate in a SKY TV current affairs program talking about ‘Walk in My Shoes’ and the impact it had on all of our lives! Hope to see you in 2010!

Phase Four: 2010 -2011

By the close of 2010 the Co-ordinator had travelled through Queensland to Schools and Communities and all the way over to Middle Swan and Geraldton in Perth facilitating ‘Walk in My Shoes’ workshops to Teachers, Students, Parents, Community and Youth Workers, Psychologists and Social Workers. People from 33 schools and 56 community organisations have viewed the film and participated in the workshops. Below are some of the letters that people and students have written to the Smarties. All those letters (and there are hundreds of them) are personally sent on to the people who starred in the film so they can see the enormous impact their courage and creative work is having on our communities and how we are building a bridge for greater understanding and empathy around this endemic!

Scanned Letters from the Workshops