Good News Lutheran College (GNLC) and Mercy Place Wyndham recently wrapped up a series of visits that resulted in the birth of an interesting project.
Students from the school made three trips to the Werribee-based aged care facility as part of Mercy Health’s Accompaniment Program for secondary schools.
The program involved a four-module curriculum which encourages students to challenge stereotypes held about older people, and provides the opportunity to learn from older generations.
The visits were designed to tackle ageism and build more compassionate and empathetic leaders of tomorrow.
Through active class discussion, the GNLC students concluded that they wanted to complete a project that left a lasting memento for the residents on top of enjoying some positive social interaction with them.
The students came up with a project titled, Memory Lane.
This project involved students meeting with residents and talking to them to find out about their childhood, with a focus on the town the resident grew up in and what the resident did for leisure activities during their childhood.
Eventually, the information along with some accompanying photos of the resident’s childhood town and their leisure activities, was presented as a poster type document and framed.
GNLC teacher Johanne Vines said the program was invaluable to the school’s students and educators alike.
“As an educator, I found the modules to be an outstanding ‘grab and go’ resource, offering a deep understanding of the challenges faced by elderly members of our community,” she said.
“They also sparked rich and insightful classroom discussions.”
