Immerse & Inspire
A unique month-long residential programme for all Year 10 students, Immerse & Inspire started in 2017. This innovative programme does exactly as its name suggests. Groups of boys – about three from each of the 10 pastoral Houses – come together in Jacobs House to live the boarding experience. This is a four-week programme for Year 10 students, including the Boyle River Outdoor Education five-day camp; Kōhititia – a three-day workshop focused on global challenges; overnight Wairewa Marae visit; tours of places of worship; workshop on Character & Leadership; specialist careers advice; courses on study skills and nutrition, and specialist workshops on sexuality and identity, plus the opportunity to take part in the regular Boarding Programme activities. Immerse & Inspire is a fully integrated programme, laying the foundation for the boys to start thinking about the type of men they want to become and giving them the tools they need to manage their lives. Immerse & Inspire Co-ordinator Tony O’Connor says the content of the programme is geared to encourage the boys to learn new skills, be open to different ideas, come to understand their strengths, appreciate their lives and environment, and help them develop a growth mindset. Feedback from the boys and their parents, who have the opportunity to participate in special parent engagement activities while their sons take part in Immerse & Inspire, has been overwhelmingly positive. The boys have enjoyed making new friends from across all Houses and the variety of activities. Parents say Immerse & Inspire has enhanced family relationships, with most appreciating the changes they have seen in their son’s behaviour and attitudes following the programme.
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