On Monday 27 July, students from Sussex Inlet Public School stood in front of their peers, teachers and school community to share something they had worked towards for six months. Through a whole-school assembly, a video presentation and the official ribbon cutting, they unveiled the school’s new Buddy Bench.
For many, the Buddy Bench is the visible outcome of a successful project.
And it is.
Throughout their Youth Voice Jr journey, these young people learned what it means to be active members of their community. They identified a need, listened to their peers, gathered feedback, explored solutions and worked through the different phases of project management to turn an idea into reality.
They became researchers, collaborators, problem-solvers and leaders.
Most importantly, they learned that their voices matter.
The Buddy Bench now stands as a tangible reminder of what can happen when young people are trusted to contribute to decisions that affect their community. But while the skills they have developed are significant, they are not the most important outcome of this project.
The real achievement is something much bigger.
It’s legacy.
Years from now, the students who delivered this project will have left Sussex Inlet Public School. They will move on to high school, careers, families and communities of their own. Their time in primary school will become a distant memory.
But the Buddy Bench will remain.
Long after their final day at school, other children will continue to sit on that bench. Some may use it when they’re looking for a friend. Others may find comfort there on a difficult day. New friendships may begin there. Acts of kindness, inclusion and connection will happen there.
Many of those children may never know the names of the students who made it possible.
Yet they will benefit from their work.
That is what legacy looks like.
Legacy is not measured by what we achieve for ourselves. It is measured by the difference we leave behind for others.
The students involved in Youth Voice Jr have learned valuable skills throughout this project. They have learned how to identify community needs, conduct research, consult with others, plan a project and see it through to completion. Those lessons will stay with them long after they leave primary school.
But perhaps the greatest lesson is understanding that even as children, they have the capacity to create meaningful and lasting change.
The Buddy Bench project was proudly supported by funding from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR). Through this investment in young people and rural communities, students were able to develop and deliver a project that continues to foster inclusion, connection, and wellbeing at Sussex Inlet Public School.