The CORE program targets secondary school students and is delivered in a series of weekly sessions where participants are empowered to find, build and live their core values by using a series of structured of PE strength-based activities.
These activities link existing physical education and personal & social capabilities curriculum and are adapted to available schools / agencies PE facilities.
The CORE program is an evidence-based, active therapeutic support program, which provides a targeted and specialised intervention for students who are vulnerable to, or showing signs of disengaging from their education and school environment.
CORE aims to educate and empower students about discipline, emotional regulation and self-control, improve decision-making and perceived self-esteem through the use of exercise-based engagement activities, individual worksheets and group discussions, while promoting mindfulness and personal development.
The CORE Approach
FIND
Values – What are they? Why we’re focusing on them. Values definitions.
What are your values? First pick of your top 4 from the list.
What happens when you apply your values to daily life?
BUILD
Applying your values to challenges - positive behaviour change goals.
The Hard Yards and Rewards of applying our values to daily challenges
Values check – how has the way we think and apply our values changed?
LIVE
What do we really care about and why?
How does this influence the way we act?
Using our values to choose and take responsibility for our future.
The program is aligned with the School Focused Youth Services Guidelines, and is specifically designed for young people aged 12-18 who are at risk of disengagement from school due to a variety of risk factors.
Risk factors may include:
Personal factors – physical or mental health issues, disability, drug and alcohol dependency, learning difficulties, criminal behaviour and/or contact with the Juvenile Justice System
Family and Community factors – Poverty, homelessness, Refugee background or status, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status, family violence, family breakdown or living in out-of-home care
School-related factors – Previous negative experiences of learning, negative relationships with teachers and other staff and negative relationships with peers
As described by the School Focused Youth Guidelines 2018/2019, the experience for many schools is that there is approximately five per cent of the student population is determined to be at a high risk of disengaging, this population is targeted to require specialised support such as participation in the CORE program, to reduce this likelihood of disengagement.
The CORE program works with this targeted population to determine long and short-term goals, define individual students perceived values, develop these values and apply them to the current challenges their facing, while simultaneously improving their emotional regulation, self-control and self-esteem through active therapeutic exercise programs.
The CORE program works with schools to prioritise elements of key impact, including areas such as:
Improved perceived self-esteem
Improved strategies for appropriately managing and expressing emotions
Increased self-awareness and management
Increased willingness to take responsibility for their actions inside and outside of the classroom
Improved engagement in class and in the greater school environment
Improved attendance
Improvement in behaviours in class and in the greater school environment
Lower incidents of suspensions and other disciplinary methods
Ability to comprehend the results and impact of their behaviours, understand how their values influence these behaviours and use their values for positive behaviour change
An overall improvement of the schools approach to supporting vulnerable students
