Christchurch Boys’ High School Jake Bailey came to talk to the boys. “His story of getting cancer and getting out the other side was really cool, awesome, and it made total sense to want to seize the moment, and take all the opportunities you can.” He also liked the presentation by life coach Jessie Kendall, who works with Mike King, and spoke about mental health issues. “A lot of boys in their teenage years are reluctant to speak out, but we now know it’s really important to do so.” Louis believes that if the MANifesto programme was optional many boys might not attend, but because it is built into the College programme,
its importance is huge and recognised by all.
“I see it as about reinforcing the messaging and providing relevant information in a way that’s relatable to boys.”
MANifesto delves into teenage issues
So what exactly has the Year 12 MANifesto programme looked at in the last six months? Keeping in mind College’s mission of Each boy at his best , the boys have engaged in some robust discussions and been invited to consider, among other things, holistic wellbeing – in partic- ular, social wellbeing. Some of the questions raised have included: • How do we treat others, in particular our partners and the opposite sex? • What do we learn from others about how we treat each other, especially the opposite sex and those who are different from us? • What are some commonly held core beliefs and attitudes towards difference? Director of Boarding and the Centre for Character & Leadership Darrell Thatcher says he had some great discussions, and the overwhelming feedback from students was that “all people regardless of sex, race, or age, should be treated equally.”
“They felt that there needed to be a balance of power within a relationship in order for it to work happily and well,” says Darrell. “The majority said they saw an equal power relationship in their lives, with very few citing an unequal balance.” Keeping yourself and others safe was a natural progression of the discussion, with video footage providing graphic and realistic insight into situations that could have been averted had others intervened. Other sessions throughout the year have included former Olympic swimmer Anna Simcic discussing time and energy management; a reflection on Mike King’s session talking about our inner critic and reflecting on the “harden up, stay staunch” mentality; and teacher Nathan Riki speaking about identity. After each session Darrell sends an email to parents outlining what has been discussed and, by doing so, he hopes it will encourage them to continue the conversation with their sons at home.
College Issue 37 2019
47
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker