The first Peace Education (PE) session in a school classroom was run in Alice Springs NT, at the Centralian Middle School and Yirara College on 28 May. Hosted by HWPL Victoria (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light), in collaboration with Reclink Australia and Acts of Random Kindness Victoria (ARK-VIC), It marked a significant milestone in Alice Springs. The sessions were addressed towards topics of mental and physical health, confidence building, team skills and future career aspirations. In recent years, the town has faced various challenges with youth disengagement however, in these workshops, youth readily accept the attitudes taught through the HWPL PE Curriculum.
Peter Cullen OAM, Founder of Reclink Australia attended the first PE Class at Centralian Middle School in Alice Springs. When asked, “Why is it hard for youth to identify qualities they like about themselves?”. He answered “I’ve got a feeling it’s a cultural barrier tied to shame, which makes it difficult to embrace these ideas. As a kid, I read a book about suffering, and celebrating yourself as a unique individual, and I know what it’s like. We need to provide them with a foundation and remind them, hey, nobody has the same fingerprints, nobody has the same gifts as you, and to celebrate that specialness. This will flow into community contributions as well.”
The Peace Education Curriculum, developed by HWPL alongside an international board of acclaimed teachers, aims to nurture the character of both the youth and adults. Developed for universities, the curriculum addresses the individual’s value toward themselves, how to have an understanding of people’s differences, and becoming a cohesive member of a community which are key strategies in forming a socially cohesive society.
HWPL Victoria has achieved a number of official cooperation, including MOUs and workshops with VicWISE, Advocacy for Oromia, SUDD Foundation, Chin Myanmar Community Care, Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Foundation, as well as workshops with Melbourne Bangla Language school and Junubi Wyndham. For workshops in Australian schools, HWPL Victoria also established a Teacher’s Reference Group, the task of creating contextualised PE materials for the Australian curriculum.
Reclink, an partner organisation, had previously ran sports and health based initiatives, but is now making a return in its efforts to serve the Northern Territory communities, together with their experienced State Manager, Lucinda Moody. Leading the team coming from Melbourne was Reclink Founder and former CEO, Peter Cullen, AM, followed by the HWPL PE Department Director Mark Anthony with two HWPL education assistants and ARK VIC CEO Dr. Jonasi Eangano Singhebuye. By combining their fields of sports, health and education expertise, the co-hosts were prepared with a multifaceted approach to address the areas of assistance found in Alice Springs.
The series of workshops held at the two schools, organised by Reclink, ARK-VIC, and HWPL, seamlessly integrated sports, physical wellness, and mental health education to address low self-esteem among young people, particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Recognizing that self-esteem is a significant barrier to youth potential, the workshops utilised HWPL Peace Education Curriculum’s Book Two, “My Value, My Influence and Role,” emphasising the intrinsic value of each individual and cultivating respect for others. Activities included warm-ups and drills with AFL footballs and basketballs, interspersed with reflective questions and messages promoting positive self-image and teamwork. These sessions aimed to inspire self-determination in students’ future career paths despite any adversities faced. Evaluations completed by students before and after the workshops highlighted changes in confidence and self-esteem.
“We have done similar programs for mental health and reflection but it was theory based. They prefer movement and real life reflection rather than writing, so how it was done today tied with sport was great”
— Teacher, Centralian College
“This kind of workshop should be a part of Reclink. We usually focus on the sport aspect, but combining sport and mental health education gives it that impactful edge that can really make a difference”
— Hayden Legro, Reclink Patrion and life member
The HWPL Peace Education team aims to build on the success in NT, with plans to return for further collaboration with Centralian Middle School, Yirara College, and more schools in Alice Springs. In Victoria, preparations are underway for workshops set for 2024-25 at VU Secondary College, Truganina P-9 College, and St. Albans Secondary College, equipping youth with the values, confidence, and skills to contribute positively to society and promote a peaceful future.
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