Source: Catholic Outlook, September 2016
Students from Holy Cross Primary School at Glenwood have participated in a new project initiated by CatholicCare Social Services Diocese of Parramatta, which seeks to consolidate online resources that can inspire, reassure and encourage primary school aged children.
The project is called Be BRAVE/Inspir8 and the students were filmed by Western Sydney University, dancing with TV personality Olivia Phyland, to the song BRAVE by Sara Bareilles.
The video clip breaks down the word BRAVE into an acronym:
B – Be Yourself;
R – Remember your strengths and the positive things in your life;
A – Ask for help when you need it;
V – Voice, say what you want to say; and
E – Everybody struggles sometimes; it’s human, you’re not alone.
The dance routine was choreographed by Dance Fever – a multisport program running nationally across schools over a number of weeks.
CatholicCare Social Services Parramatta initiated the project to fill a gap for wellbeing resources tailored to children in primary school.
Karolyn Ellis is Manager Family Relationship Services with CatholicCare. “There are too many opportunities for young children to be negatively impacted online and not enough material to positively influence them,” Karolyn said.
The video clip featuring Holy Cross students and Olivia Phyland, as well as fellow TV personalities Kayne Tremills and Tim Mathews, is one of a series of positive video messages that can be viewed on the website.
Messages are delivered from the perspective of “I remember what I struggled with in primary school”. Contributors share what they have learned since, to remind children that they are not alone and we all have challenges.
There are video contributions by GWS Giants player Stephen Coniglio, Western Sydney Wanderers players, NSW Swifts player Caitlin Thwaites as well as 2016 Local Hero Australian of the Year Cath Keenan and 2015 Young Australian of the Year Drisana Levitzke Gray.
Bendigo Bank kindly supported the project.
As well as providing videos, the website aims to consolidate anything that can positively impact the wellbeing of this age group, with recommended movies, books and apps.
The site also seeks to assist parents by consolidating various professional resources relating to children’s wellbeing into one place. For more information, click here.
