RRRR

Rights Resilience & Respectful Relationships 

Firstly, I’d like to introduce myself, my name is Rebecca Howell and I am proud to be the Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationships Leader at Wantirna College. 

We embarked on our journey with the Respectful Relationships program, in 2017. Our Respectful Relationships whole-school approach recognises that schools are a workplace, a community hub and a place of learning. 

Everyone involved in our school community deserves to be respected, valued and treated equally. We know that changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviours and equality are lived across the school community and when classroom learning is reinforced by what is modelled in our school community. 

Respectful Relationships education is a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12. It is all about embedding a culture of respect and equality across the entire school community.

What is Respectful Relationships?

The initiative focuses on teaching social, emotional and relationship skills to students and assists schools to create caring and equitable learning environments. Respectful Relationships aim to prevent gender based and family violence in future generations by helping students develop positive relationships, resist harmful social pressures, resolve interpersonal conflict and seek and provide help when needed. This is done by promoting equity and respect through direct instruction but also through the systems and practices across the school. The Respectful Relationships Program requires the support and involvement of students, parents, families and staff.

Aims of RRRR Program

Students at Wantirna College have responded positively to the program. RRRR is well supported by our College’s new SWPB (School Wide Positive Behaviours) Matrix which supports students to understand what it means to respect themselves, others and their environments so that each student leaves us with a solid understanding of what a respectful relationship looks and feels like. 

We also aim for students to understand their rights and responsibilities, have recognition and acceptance that everyone is unique, and identify the personal strengths that they possess. In addition, it is expected, that as part of this program, students gain strategies they can implement to help cope with difficult situations and to know what support is available should it be required. 

RRRR Ambassadors

I am currently in the process of recruiting RRRR student Ambassadors from Years 7-12 to be effective role models for other students and positively promote RRRR through the College. If this is something you or your child are interested in, please reach out to me or check Compass/Year Level teams page for the Leader Application Form.

RRRR Resources

Each fortnight, we will publish some ideas in the College Newsletter for Social and Emotional learning activities and conversation starters that you can use at home. Further information about Respectful Relationships is available on the Department of Education and Training website: 

https://www.vic.gov.au/respectful-relationships 

RRRR Events

We are looking forward to our first whole-school event for the year, on Wednesday 8 March, recognising International Women’s Day. We’ll be running activities to mark and celebrate the day, so we’ll share those over the coming weeks. If you would like to be involved, please see me or Assistant Principal, Nat Manser.

Rebecca Howell

Rights, Resilience and 

Respectful Relationships Leader