In 2014, Give Where You Live provided Bluearth Foundation a $27,700 for a school leadership program to build capacity within older students to recognise the importance of physical activity in daily lives and how they can influence their immediate community. Using Bluearth’s approach of movement, student leaders from Northern Bay College were guided through a structured syllabus to create active leaders within the school environment. The program provided students with the opportunity to address the levels of physical activity both within their own schools and to become advocates into their wider community.
The leadership teams participated in 18 challenging, supportive and creative sessions across the school year. Goals were to identify and implement strategies to improve participation in physical activity in the school and their community. Students planned and conducted events for middle school students across all campuses. At Peacock Campus, students led a highly successful, fun filled active day for both students and teachers. Students organised fruit and water and led four hours of games and group activities for over 320 students. Participants reported how much fun they had along with the laughter, cooperation and connection.
The program is continuing in 2015, with students implementing lunch time activities and a community event for friends or families, to spread the message of the joy of being active throughout life.