The day was all about teamwork (… and pizza!), and our team planned lots of group activities so the children could connect with each other and gain confidence in their growing social skills, from Find the Dino to Tug-of-War.
There was also face painting, prizes, limbo … and PieFace (a game where, even though the aim was to avoid being pied, the kids thought getting a bit of extra whipped cream was actually pretty fun!). There was also silly string. So. Much. Silly. String.
Throughout the day, the children encouraged each other and shared all the goodies; even the shyest kids came out of their shells.
One boy who came along is Callum*, a Rise student in year two at school who often struggles to express his feelings and is reserved. Callum surprised his mentor by getting involved in every activity throughout the day!
This reaffirmed to his mentor the progress he’s making in class.
His teacher recently told his mentor that Callum has started contributing to class discussions and confidently raises his hand when he has questions. For a shy child who has usually never wanted to speak in group situations, it’s a huge step.
The day was also a chance to celebrate the accomplishments of the children throughout the term and reward them for their hard work.
Sara*, one of our youngest Rise students in Kindy, is a happy, energetic and sociable little girl but has had some behavioural issues in the classroom. Her father is in custody, and she’s faced complicated issues in her family life, making the transition to school challenging.
However, her mentor was overjoyed during a recent session, which are student-led, when Sara, in her words, said she had “made the decision to do my best and not get into trouble anymore.”
Her mentor believes this turnaround is partly due to their time together focussing on how she feels happy when she does her best and taking the time to really talk and understand her emotions.
Sara has even won an award in class, which she’s very proud of, and the Together Day was a chance to give her a round of applause and encourage her to keep up the great work.
The day ended on a high as parents and mentors got involved in creating a lovely group artwork with the children using hand painting.
It was a little act that reminded all the children that they were not alone and that together, they could achieve big things.
It was especially lovely to see the parents and carers have the chance to chat with each other on the sidelines, sharing stories and the joy of seeing their children having such a great time in a safe and supported environment.
For the mentors, it’s always a thrill to see children, whom they know so well through their weekly sessions, flourish.
When it was time to go home, all the children kept saying, “One more game!” but our team could reassure them that there would be many more fun times to come.
Rise is a mentoring program for primary-aged children with a parent in custody delivered in school. The program is designed to support children’s emotional and social well-being and encourage positive engagement with their school communities.
Please support Rise children so they can thrive at school; donate today.
Thank you to the Waratah Foundation and FICAP for supporting the Rise program in Western Sydney.
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