Staughton Secondary College Cluster Case Study

Staughton Secondary College Cluster

The 3:1 Positive Connections project involved producing a music DVD encouraging students to stand up to bullying by reaching out and making positive connections with others who may be experiencing bullying.

Tell us about the Staughton Secondary College Cluster

The Staughton Secondary College Cluster is comprised of Melton Secondary College, Kurunjang Secondary College and Staughton Secondary College. The three state secondary schools (Year 7–12) have a combination of around 2,300 students. They are located in the Shire of Melton, which is in Melbourne’s outer Western Region and offers an urban-rural lifestyle. What is the project?

The 3:1 Positive Connections project involved producing a music DVD encouraging students to stand up to bullying by reaching out and making positive connections with others who may be experiencing bullying. The premise is that we can all connect in a positive way with each other using the 3:1 ratio (three positives to one negative). What were the key objectives?

The key objectives were:  To encourage students to be a catalyst for change in the culture of bullying in schools across Melton by relating to each other in a more positive way  To empower students with skills and knowledge to build positive relationships and resilience  To infuse the 3:1 positive connections theme into the Melton Community as the three state secondary schools were involved in the project. How was it implemented?

The concept and song title were developed by the project leaders. The students to sing the song were selected by the schools’ music teachers. Two pre–workshops were undertaken with the singing students

Case Study | © 2014 | Department of Education and Early Childhood Development for team building purposes and to give them an understanding of the project’s concepts. Three full days were spent in Rock-along-records’ recording studio where the students recorded the song ‘Touch’ by Noiseworks. The three bullying and positive connections story themes were developed from focus groups at each school, and the Year 9 Youth Empowerment Process students at Staughton Secondary College fine- tuned the story lines. The three stories were then filmed over three days at the schools and produced by Youth Worx Productions. The project leaders are developing three lesson plans to accompany the DVD. It is being delivered in various ways at the three schools. A parent night will be organised to promote the 3:1 positive connections theme with guest speakers such as the Police Liaison Officer in Melton, and Youth Services. Has the project been a success?

Even though the roll out of the project is not completed as yet, the impact on the students involved in the production of the DVD was immediate. Friendships between the singers at the three schools were formed and/or strengthened, and a social bond was strengthened between the schools. The students were not competing with each other; they were working together to achieve something positive. The project has been well received by youth service workers in the Melton Shire and they look forward to seeing its effects filtering into the local community. What is the future of the project?

The lessons to the Year 7 students will be delivered in 2014. It is hoped that the theme is utilised throughout the schools and all students and staff are encouraged to practice the 3:1 positive connections theme. Contact

Nathanael Poljak - [email protected] Sheryn Mitrevics - [email protected]