It is now more important than ever that we remind ourselves of the need to be connected in our community.  Meaningful connections are those that come from knowing we are valued, known and understood within our families, places of work, our local neighborhood or nation.

For our young people, a positive sense of connection has direct benefits for wellbeing during years of constant change and development.  As children move into adolescence, they rely less on family input on advice, and more on their peers.  It is for this reason we, as adults, must encourage healthy connections for our children with like-minded peers in face-to-face environments.  This can happen when our students take part in extra-curricular or co-curricular activities such as sport, Beacon Explorers camps, overseas trips, music, drama, clubs or service programs, where they may work with others toward a common goal and shared experiences. 

These shared experiences are where connections can deepen and give our students that stronger foundation of understanding and friendship that is so important in each young person’s development. 

We need to actively encourage our students to pursue meaningful activities rather than superficial connections on social media. Instead of being consumers of experience, they need to be active participants and creators.