New South Wales
Country Areas Program
Projects That Really Make a Difference!

Project: Our Area in the Future Type: Student Initiative Coordinator/s : Nadine Mayfield (teacher), Hanna Hanson, Kylie Briggs (Students) Participating Schools: Coomealla High School, Wentworth Public, Dareton Public, Buronga Public, Gol Gol Public Attributes addressed: Self, Self Directed Learning, Communication

Overview:

A student forum, "Our Area in the Future" has been held in Term 2, 1999 at Coomealla High School to develop and understanding of the future and

• issues impacting upon it
• possibilities arising from it
• barriers impinging upon it
• processes an strategies to "Thrive and Survive"
• Identifying the skills which will be needs in the future
• Recognising that each person can contribute different things in different ways.
• Valuing the diversity if individuals and groups

This initiative was inspired by the student forum held in Dubbo by the Country Area's Team for secondary students.

Implementation

Students from Years 10 and 11 spent a day engaged in a variety of activities to stimulate their thinking about what the future might hold for them. These activities are outlined briefly below.

Dress for the Future	Students in groups, designed an outfit for the 21st Century for work and for leisure. A model of their design was created using a variety of materials then displayed on the catwalk. Student explained the features and relevance of each design.
Hopes and Fears	Hopes and Fears were written on post it notes and displayed. Students indicated which hopes and fears they agreed with.
Futurist	Students were addressed by Dr Peter Ellyard, a futurist. The topics covered were Fate, Destiny, Thrival and Survival.
Identifying skills for the future	Students wrote the skills they feel they will need for the future. A group sort was conducted. Headings such as tolerance, global awareness, self esteem were developed. These heading and cards were displayed.
Metaphors	Students developed metaphors for their preferred futures.
Possibilities and Barriers	Whole group brainstormed possibilities then in small groups identified the barriers that would impinge upon the possibility. These were then shared with the whole group.

Whole group brainstormed possibilities then in small groups identified the barriers that would impinge upon the possibility. These were then shared with the whole group.

Year 12 Address

Year 12 were addressed by Dr Peter Ellyard covering similar topics to those mentioned above. The success of this part of the program was indicated by a number of students remaining at school and questioning Dr Ellyard about their hopes, ideas and fears about the future.

Parent and Community Meeting

A parent and community meeting was held in the evening. This meeting was well advertised in the local primary schools, through the media and by the students at Coomealla. About 80 people attended the parent meeting including many staff members and executives from schools in NSW and Victoria attended the meeting and a lively and interesting discussion ensued after the address by Dr Ellyard.