Sydney PE teacher creates 'Boys To Men' program
A Sydney PE teacher has created a 'Boys 2 Men' program that teaches emotional resilience through activities such as boxing and throwing paper planes.
Boys 2 Men was founded in 2015 by Lisa Callaway, a PE teacher at Thomas Reddall High School, in partnership with a former colleague, Karen Boswell.
Speaking to the Mcarthur Advertiser, Ms Callaway said the program aimed to teach things that "students wouldn't necessarily learn in the classroom".
"Boys 2 Men focuses on drugs and alcohol, risk tasking and also provides sexual education. Mental health education is also a big thing, so is getting the boys to talk to each other,” she said.
Thomas Brown, 17, a student who has taken part in the program said:
"One big challenge I've overcome is the stereotype that a boy can't talk or cry," he said. “Boys have emotions too. We're human as well so it's normal to cry. I've learnt that it's normal to feel down, it's normal to not feel motivated. If it wasn't for the program, I probably would have dropped out of school”.
Boys in general are more likely than girls to drop out of school. In 2018, boys were 66% more likely to leave schools before the end of Year according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Students from Year 10 through to Year 12 are chosen for in the program “because they have leadership potential, but need to be more engaged to want to come to school”, according to Callaway.
Participants also provide mentoring to young students at nearby Ambarvale Public School.
TAKE ACTION FOR MEN'S HEALTH:
- READ: Ambarvale School Program Helps Boys Smash Stigmas (Mcarthur Advertiser)
- READ: Improving Boys' Education (AMHF #Better4Men Campaign)