Champions For Compassion

Compassion.

This simple word is one of the most important values an AGE School learner can have. Yet it’s a widely overlooked quality, rarely taught as its own individual subject. But at AGE we believe that this is one of the most fundamental and necessary soft skills required for future ready children to understand, learn and apply. 

With that in mind it was determined that students at AGE would be taught this skill as part of tailored workshops; ‘Champions for Compassion’

This area of learning that our students have been participating in was introduced to inspire and instil AGE’s core themes of compassion, creativity and curiosity, into our students. 

These courses aim to teach students about kindness, inclusion and positive change with sessions having allowed students to access speakers such as Dr. Dougal Sutherland, a clinical psychologist from Umbrella Wellbeing and Del Costello, the founder and director of Coactive Education, who has been providing services to New Zealand’s education sector.

Together they discussed the importance of being better to and for others. Along with the content being taught at these sessions, the other valuable learnings from this was the experience of visiting a much larger school.

For many of our students this can be daunting; surrounded by unfamiliar faces and a new environment, which can certainly push students outside their comfort zones. However, at AGE our students learn to embrace the obstacles with courage, proving that growth often happens in the moments that challenge us.

Our young writers have also discovered the power of using their voices in their writing. Learning how words can influence kindness, promote inclusion, and spark positive change within a community. This helps students further put into practice the ideas given to them by Dougal and Del, skills that create a lasting impact.

Within this term's theme of Impact, we’ve been exploring Community Service and Engagement and how each person plays a part in shaping a more compassionate world. The Champions for Compassion workshop has further strengthened that message; even small actions can make a big difference when they come from a place of empathy. 

And as our students continue to put these lessons into practice, we couldn’t be more proud of the impact they are choosing to make.