Empowering Student Leaders at Sanctuary Point Public School

In an exciting new collaboration, Firefly Bay and Basin have partnered with Community Minded Kids (CMK) to introduce their unique community-building programme to Sanctuary Point Public School. This partnership aims to equip the next generation with the skills and mindset needed to become compassionate, caring, and confident contributors to their community.

Programme Overview

Community Minded Kids is a visionary programme designed to teach children the importance of community building and participation. By empowering children to engage in citizen-driven community efforts from a young age, CMK aims to strengthen communities holistically. They believe that effective community development must include children, equipping them with the tools and mindset necessary to be proactive members of their communities.

Our goal is to implement the CMK programme within Firefly Bay and Basin’s Youth Voice Jr Pilot Project at Sanctuary Point Public School. In preparation, Firefly Bay and Basin staff received specialised training from CMK. This collaboration will see Zizi from CMK supporting Christine and Maiki from Firefly in delivering the programme to Year 6 Student Leaders.

Programme Details

Under the Youth Voice Project Framework, the Year 6 Student Leaders are engaging with the CMK programme, where they are learning to become more community-minded. So far, they have explored the concept of community and developed their own definition of what community means to them. They have conducted an asset map of their school, focusing on how they can shift from a ‘me’ to ‘we’ mindset to become better community members. The students also identified their unique skills and talents, or ‘Sparks’, by mapping their ‘head’ (knowledge), ‘heart’ (passions), and ‘hands’ (abilities). Last week, they discussed how pooling resources strengthen their community, as illustrated in the folktale ‘Stone Soup’.

Following the completion of the CMK programme, the Student Leaders will conduct research and pitch project ideas to their school. The winning project pitch will be developed and executed by the students, culminating in a tangible outcome that benefits their community.

The programme is set to run over Term 3 and Term 4 of 2024, providing ample time for the students to immerse themselves in the learning process and see their projects come to fruition.

Impact on Student Leaders

The school’s Student Leaders (12 students) will participate in the programme. The anticipated benefits for these students are multifaceted:

Community Awareness: Students will better understand their school and wider community.
Research Skills: They will become peer researchers, exploring community needs and potential solutions.
Self-Worth: The programme aims to boost their self-esteem and inspire them to take initiative.
Social Bonds: Participating in the programme will foster closer student relationships.
Presentation and Project Management Skills: Through pitching ideas and executing projects, students will develop critical communication and organisational skills.
Enhanced Leadership Skills: The students will be able to build on their existing leadership abilities and create a project that will have a lasting impact on their school community.

Christine and Maiki from Firefly will lead the programme at the school, with ongoing support from CMK. Training and resources will also be provided to school staff to ensure the programme’s successful integration. While the initial focus will be on the school community, parents and carers will be invited to attend the pitch presentations, fostering a sense of involvement and support.

Future Plans

This initiative at Sanctuary Point Public School is a pilot programme, with Firefly Bay and Basin planning to expand it to other primary schools in the Bay and Basin area. The long-term goal of the partnership is to cultivate a more community-minded society, where individuals work together to enhance their communities.

This partnership between Firefly Bay and Basin and Community Minded Kids represents a significant step towards nurturing young leaders who are equipped to contribute positively to their communities. Stay tuned for updates and success stories as these young leaders embark on their journey of community involvement and personal growth. Follow us on [social media] to see how our young leaders at Sanctuary Point Public School are making a difference.