PERSONAL IDENTITY & EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

In this unit students explore the concept of personal identity and develop emotional intelligence skills essential for success in all areas of life. They learn about the five elements of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Students develop strategies for building resilience, effective communication, conflict resolution, and self-management across different contexts including education, employment, social, family, and online environments. This foundation helps them understand themselves better and interact more effectively with others, building confidence and emotional maturity.

COMMUNITY HEALTH & WELLBEING

Students investigate what makes individuals and communities healthy and explore the various factors that affect wellbeing, including emotional, social, physical, cultural, economic, environmental, and geographic influences. They research local health-promoting organizations and services, then plan and implement their own activity or initiative to improve health and wellbeing in their community. Your child learns the practical steps involved in designing, implementing, and evaluating meaningful projects while developing an understanding of how inclusive, cohesive communities support individual wellbeing.

PROMOTING A HEALTHY LIFE

In this area of study you will examine how technology impacts health and wellbeing at both individual and community levels, exploring both positive and negative effects on communication, lifestyle, social connectedness, and personal identity. Students develop critical thinking skills to assess the reliability, validity, and accuracy of health-related information they encounter online and in media. Students learn about health promotion programs that use technology effectively and practice planning, implementing, and evaluating their own health promotion activity, building digital literacy alongside health awareness.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY?

Students explore the concept of community at local, national, and global levels, examining how communities form and the characteristics that influence their development. They investigate different groups within communities and understand the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship. In a supportive group setting we learn about community engagement, active citizenship, leadership, empathy, and cultural connection, while exploring how social, cultural, environmental, and economic factors influence different community groups, including Indigenous communities. This builds an understanding of an individuals place in the broader world.

COMMUNITY COHESION

In this area of study, students examine current and future challenges facing communities locally, nationally, and globally, learning to understand different perspectives on cultural, social, environmental, and economic issues. Students explore how various issues impact social cohesion and community wellbeing, and investigate the barriers and enablers that help or hinder communities working together to solve problems. Students develop strategies to foster diversity, inclusion, and cohesion within communities, building skills in perspective-taking and collaborative problem-solving.

ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITY

Students learn about community engagement as an effective approach to addressing various issues and implementing positive initiatives. They explore the key features of effective community engagement, such as prioritising community needs, building local leadership, developing partnerships, and sharing information. Students can discover the benefits and challenges of community engagement and work independently or collaboratively to design, implement, and evaluate their own community engagement activity, developing practical skills in civic participation.

SOCIAL AWARENESS & INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

In this unit students develop social awareness by learning to appreciate diversity, understand different perspectives, show empathy, and consider social, cultural, and ethical norms. Individuals will practice essential interpersonal skills including verbal and non-verbal communication, collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution, and decision-making. Students learn to demonstrate these skills both in face-to-face interactions and when using digital technologies, while developing research skills to investigate cultural, social, environmental, and economic issues that affect their communities.

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP

Students investigate the qualities of effective, ethical leaders and explore different leadership styles including autocratic, charismatic, transformational, distributed, and laissez-faire approaches. They examine contexts where people demonstrate leadership during times of change and learn how effective leaders foster innovation and creativity to solve problems and achieve goals. Students practice applying leadership skills in real-life scenarios or simulations, developing confidence in their ability to lead others and make positive change in their community.

EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK

In this area of study students learn the characteristics and attributes of effective team leaders and team members, developing skills in communication, motivation, management, interpersonal relationships, and ethical behaviour within teams. Learners explore individual attributes like motivation, reliability, persistence, and adaptability that contribute to collective goals. Students participate in team activities where they practice problem-solving processes and reflect on their personal contribution to team effectiveness, building self-awareness about their strengths as both leaders and team members.

PLANNING A COMMUNITY PROJECT

Students identify and investigate environmental, cultural, economic, or social issues affecting their community, then select one for an extended community project. They learn the comprehensive planning process including setting objectives, sourcing appropriate research, identifying stakeholders, understanding previous responses to the issue, and developing action strategies. Students practice project management skills including budgeting, timeline development, risk management, and contingency planning while learning to engage appropriately with community partners and stakeholders.

IMPLEMENTING A COMMUNITY Project

In this unit students put their project plan into action, applying all the skills they've developed throughout the course including emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, effective leadership, and teamwork. They learn to manage the practical considerations of project implementation including health, safety, wellbeing, and ethical considerations, while practicing stakeholder engagement and relationship management. Students develop skills in active participation, time management, and contingency planning while collecting evidence of their project's implementation and impact.

EVALUATING A COMMUNITY PROJECT

In this culminating area of study, students evaluate the effectiveness of their entire project from planning through implementation. They develop metacognitive strategies to reflect on their learning journey and apply critical and creative thinking to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities related to their project outcomes. Students learn to communicate their evaluation findings effectively to a relevant audience, presenting their work to peers or community members and demonstrating the comprehensive skills they've developed throughout their Personal Development Skills journey.