Assistant Principal's Report

The Stand Up Project: Empowering Our Students for a Better School Community

At Glen Waverley Primary School, we take a firm stance against bullying, underlined by our zero tolerance policy and comprehensive Bullying Prevention Policy. Our approach is not only consistent and responsive but also constructive, ensuring we find solutions that benefit everyone involved. We are committed to fostering a friendly and caring school community, supported by our Student Engagement and Wellbeing Policy, which includes specific measures to address bullying. With a proactive approach that includes providing resources and information, we strive to create a safe and supportive environment for all students, in line with Child Safe Standards. Our ultimate goal is to ensure every student feels secure and valued within our school community.

At a recent Principal’s conference, I had the pleasure of meeting Sam Heath, the founding director of TeamKids, who is working to help promote Dr Zac Grieg’s “The Stand Up Project.” The Stand Up Project (SUP) is a student leadership and empowerment program designed to reduce discrimination, harassment, and bullying within school communities.

So, what is SUP?

• Peer-Led Approach: SUP emphasizes student voice, with the program being student-designed and delivered. This approach empowers our young leaders to actively shape a safer and more inclusive school environment.
• Upstander Training: A key component of SUP is training students to be "upstanders" rather than passive bystanders. They learn to recognize the bystander effect and acquire skills to actively support peers and intervene in situations involving discrimination or bullying.
• Educational Focus: SUP addresses not only negative behaviours but also their underlying causes and impacts. Students are taught age-appropriate strategies to support targets of bullying and harassment, as well as constructive ways to challenge these behaviours.
• Knowledge Sharing: Trained students share their insights with younger students, teachers, and families, creating a ripple effect that spreads positive change throughout the school community.
• In-Person Sessions: The program is conducted on-site, ensuring that the learning and empowerment take place within the students' everyday environment.
• Evidence-Based Impact: The Stand Up Project has a proven track record, supported by program evidence and peer-reviewed research, showing a meaningful impact on students' lives. It addresses critical issues such as discrimination (affecting 1 in 4 students) and bullying (affecting 1 in 3 students).
• Long-Term Vision: SUP also aims to reduce long-term societal issues such as family violence, gender inequality, and discrimination by fostering a culture of proactive and compassionate leadership among students.
• Fostering Support and Harmony: By addressing the lack of peer support, which can be more traumatizing than the bullying incident itself, SUP equips students with the skills needed to create a community of harmony, understanding, and respect.

If you would like to learn more about The Stand Up Project and Dr. Zach Grieg’s approach to preventing bullying and empowering children, we are pleased to share an upcoming free webinar, presented by Dr. Zach Greig, himself. This insightful session will focus on empowering individuals to tackle bullying, discrimination, and harassment.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, 29th August
• Time: 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
• Location: Online (Webinar)

What You’ll Learn:

• The Social Phenomena Behind Bullying: Understand the underlying social factors contributing to poor behaviour and bullying in schools, beyond merely labelling specific children.
• Empowering Student Solutions: Discover practical strategies that help children identify issues affecting them and develop their own impactful solutions.
• Effective Bullying Responses: Gain tools and techniques to support children experiencing or witnessing bullying, fostering a positive and supportive environment.

This free session offers valuable insights for parents, educators, and anyone invested in the wellbeing of our students. We encourage you to join us in learning how to create a safer, more inclusive community.

To enrol: Visit thestandupproject.com  or the attached QR code to register for this free webinar.

Let's work together to empower our children and make a difference in their lives.

Warm regards,

Roland Lewis

Assistant Principal