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It’s not every day that a world champion boxer drops into Southern Cross Catholic College!

Jeff Horn, in collaboration with Frank Mechler, from Bullyproof Australia, shared their very important message with students, staff and parents of the Secondary Campus.  

It comes as Southern Cross introduces the Bullyproof Australia Program to our secondary students, with a focus on Year 7 students who will be learning the skills in their PAWS (Pastoral, Academic, Wellbeing, Success) ​lessons.

Head of Secondary Campus, Janelle Doohan, said she hoped students would understand the importance the college placed on being a safe and supportive school community.

“We want to support them in their growth and development. A natural part of growing and developing is learning how to manage situations where there will be conflict in their lives,” she said.

“We are very committed to creating a safe and supportive learning environment and the culture we want here as a community is that we are people of respect.”

“That’s one of our core principals as a Catholic school in Lasallian tradition and that’s very important to us.”

“We want to equip our students with the strategies that will help them to make choices. We want improved academic outcomes, social outcomes so they holistically are developing and continuing to grow and thrive.”

For Leader of Learning and Wellbeing Junior Years, Garry Woodford, the program is about empowering students.

“We’re going to start the program with our Year 7s, who are new to the school, and hopefully it can grow all the way through and have influence throughout the whole college as they grow,” he said.

“I think the most important thing is we want to have that safe learning environment where students can come here and feel safe and supported. That’s when they’re going to learn.”

Mr Woodford said the program was not just about bullies and their victims but also bystanders.

“Ninety-five percent of us are usually the bystanders. If we can change that school culture and say this is how we do things around here and this is not how we do things around here … it’s going to be really powerful,” he said.

“We want to empower our students and educate them.”

Listening to Frank Mechler, and Jeff Horn was certainly inspiring, and Southern Cross Catholic College is excited to embark on the Bullyproof Program.