Good decision-making skills can help your teen make good choices and set them up for success later in life. Teens can face many challenges at school that require them to make choices, such as the transition to high school, selecting subjects, bullying, friendships, and exam stress. Spark their Future has provided five steps you can …
How to help your teen make good decisions about school and life Read More »
If you’re struggling to start the conversation with your young person about what they want to do once school is over, then you’re not alone. Knowing what to say is tricky, and there could be consequences if you get it wrong, but the evidence shows that parents are the most trusted source of information and …
Moving to high school is one of the key milestones of a teenager’s life. It’s an exciting phase that happens alongside other big changes, including puberty. It’s important for parents to stay informed about their teen’s transition to high school and to learn how to support them as they navigate these changes. This guide from …
While it’s true that tobacco smoking has fallen out of favour amongst Australia’s youth in recent years, they’re also taking up an increasingly popular and dangerous alternative: ‘vaping’. This resource was created to fill the knowledge gap around vaping and e-cigarettes, empowering parents and carers with the latest research and information to engage in meaningful …
Vaping and Young People – Factsheet For Parents and Carers Read More »
When we actively use our strengths we are likely to be happier, more engaged in our work and experience a better quality of life. Helping your teen to understand and build on their strengths will give them the tools to face challenges and create more positive outcomes for themselves. Read the full blog from ReachOut …
We know that LGBTQIA+ young people and their families can continue to face discrimination – but we also know that for young people, having family who are supportive and accepting can be massively protective. Parents don’t have to have all of the answers – just knowing that you’re in their corner is something that can …
Parents and Carers connect: supporting young LGBTQIA+ people Read More »
eSafety’s Digital technologies and mental health video is a great resource for parents and carers. You’ll find practical ways to encourage positive online behaviours and steps you can take if something online is impacting a child’s mental wellbeing. Watch the video here: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources#videos
Teen camps have been around for a long while – in fact, Outward Bound started around 80 years ago – and they can be a great way to break teens out of a rut. In just a few days, your teen will learn new skills, meet new people, challenge themselves and create some pretty fantastic …
Have you thought about sending your teen away on camp? Read More »
With the federal election last week, your family might be following politics more closely than usual. Many teens and their friends feel quite strongly about certain issues, and it’s common for parents and teens to have differing views. Some teens also feel disappointed if the outcome of elections doesn’t align with what they wanted, and …
Tips for having a difficult conversation with your teen Read More »
Welcome to the next article in our National Careers Week series – the theme for 2022 is “Career. More than just a job” and we’ve taken an in-depth look into what your career actually is, and what you can do to take control over it. Today, we share some fantastic places to find career-related information, …
How to find career-related information you can rely on Read More »
Parents are the key influencers when it comes to their child’s post school decisions, yet 80% feel they don’t have enough information to have the conversation. Parents Mastering Careers Conversations helps bridge that gap in knowledge. It’s a presentation with four short and sharp topics on your teens future careers, skills needed, their future of …
NCW have created a brand new resource this year, packed full of activity ideas for students from years K-12 with ways to raise career awareness. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or work with young people in any capacity, there are lots of great ideas. This free resource can be downloaded from their website here: https://careersweek.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/NCW-Activities-K-12.pdf
In our research exploring how long students should be spending on homework and study each week, we spoke with the Australian Parents Council, who had this advice to share: Tips for helping your child to manage their homework It’s hard to set exact guidelines for the amount of time kids should be spending on …
Tips for helping your child to manage their homework Read More »
Are you considering going to university once school is over? There are over one million Australians currently studying at university, and if you’ve decided you want to join them then you need to know how to apply. There are a few steps to follow, but we’ll walk through them one by one in this article. …
Monash University and Prevention United are offering free access to the Partners in Parenting PLUS (PiP+) program. PiP+ is an award-winning, evidence-based online parenting program designed to empower parents to make sense of adolescence and raise their teenager with confidence. PiP+ includes features such as: A new module providing expert-endorsed information about parenting through the …
It’s hard to avoid bad news – young people in particular are spending lots of time online, and it’s easy for them to be exposed to news about natural disasters, pandemics, terrorism, war, deaths and other distressing events. If your teen is feeling overwhelmed or scared by all the bad news, its important to let …
Not sure how to talk to your teen about their career? You’re not alone. Research shows that parents are the most significant influence on their child’s career decisions, which puts a lot of pressure on you to get it right. But talking to your teen about their career isn’t easy – they may avoid the …
11 tips for talking to your teen about their career Read More »
Creating Work Experience opportunities for high school students and school leavers is of course great for the young people undertaking your programme, but it could benefit your organisation as well. Investing in your future workforce The world of work is changing and employers need to think creatively when it comes to engaging and retaining …
5 Reasons to offer Work Experience at your business Read More »
The end of high school is a huge milestone in life. Not just for your children either, this is a huge thing for you as parents as well. It probably seems like yesterday when your child started out at kindy or prep with backpacks bigger than they were, and Year 12 seemed like forever away, …
Each year NAPCAN provides fun children’s activities to support their promotion of National Child Protection Week. This booklet aims to help start conversations with parents, carers and children about the importance of community in improving the outcomes for all Australia’s children and young people. National Child Protection Week runs from 5-11 September 2021. Download a …
If you’re experiencing financial hardship, the Queensland Government is offering assistance to help parents whose children want to participate in extra-curricular activities. You can apply for a FairPlay voucher of $150 which can be used towards sport and active recreation membership, registration or participation fees with registered activity providers. Vouchers can be used for children …
As a parent it’s always hard to see your children going through a struggle. It’s even worse when you feel like there’s not much that you can do about it. COVID has been affecting our children for over 18 months now and the new normal can take its toll. In addition, each time there’s a …
Help Supporting your Tweens and Teens During COVID and Lockdowns Read More »
Lockdowns are tough on everyone, but if you’re at school – particularly in senior high school, then you’re probably having a harder time than most. We get that, we really do. Unfortunately, we can’t make the pandemic or the restrictions go away, but we can find ways to help you support yourself and make the …
Wellbeing and study tips for teens during lockdown Read More »
Sue Fitcher, owner and operator of Getaway Trekking has kindly written this guest article: Highlighting the multiple benefits of School camps and excursions for high school students, even in the aftermath of COVID, you could be inspired to organise your own school event. I have a challenge for you Ask yourself how many …
Are you a high school student who’s passionate about STEM and looking for more chances to learn and connect with like-minded peers around Australia, and the world. Or, perhaps you’re looking for opportunities to get your work published, enter competitions, or a find a mentor? Sciencious could be a great platform to further your exploration …
Teenagers, you have a lot going on. We’re not just talking about at school or in your social lives. There are all kinds of things happening from physical changes, mental developments, as well as managing expectations of you as you finish high school or start work. Amongst all of that you’re also probably dealing with …
Sometimes, holding tight to a far off goal can actually just get in the way. There’s a growing trend where we focus not on a distant dream, but on whatever needs to happen next. It comes from the Chaos Theory of Careers, which thrives on the fact that we don’t know what’s coming. Rather than …
National Careers Week 2021 National Careers Week is running from 17-23 of May this year, and they’ve already released heaps of great resources. Whether you’re just getting started in your career or are looking for a change, they have heaps of information sheets packed with tons of useful info. Parents as Career Supporters …
Parenting can be really rewarding, but it can also be tricky, and occasionally really hard. So it’s understandable that sometimes parents want to seek out support or advice. With access to the internet and social media, sometimes all that advice can seem a bit overwhelming and finding the right experts becomes a minefield. How …
Certain disabilities could make it trickier for you to achieve your goals if you’ve already got a specific career in mind. But there are usually pathways and options to consider, so that even if in the worst case you need to adjust your goals, those options could provide you with similar results and possibly help …
Careers Resources for Students with Disabilities Read More »
Spark their Future is a resource developed by the Queensland Government to help parents connect with their children and help them find passion in their school and life. By supporting their child’s spark and unique interests, parents can help their child build resilience, enhanced sense of self and build relevance and meaning in their education. …
The Skills and Thrills Digital Parents Showcase is a half hour video, available (free) to all parents, with most benefit to parents of high school aged students. This free video resource will be available from 3 March to 31 May 2021 only and will cover the following information areas: Industry trends for the next 5-15 …
The Get Active Kids Voucher Program helps eligible families get their kids involved in organised sport and recreation activities by reimbursing the cost of membership and registration fees, uniforms and equipment. Eligible children may be able to receive up to $200 each. To be eligible your child/dependant must be: aged 4 to 18 years at …
Cool Kids – Taking Control is an online self-help program to help children aged 7-12 to cope with bullying and manage anxiety. The program is based on the Cool Kids face-to-face program which typically costs $500. However, if you participate in this trial the program can be accessed free of charge. Difficulty managing anxiety is …
The transition to high school can be scary for both parents and their children. Suddenly your child is the little fish in the big pond again and there are new rules and responsibilities for you both to learn. You can help make the transition as smooth as possible by using ReachOut’s Transition to High School …
ReachOut Checklist to Help Your Teen Transition to High School Read More »
Safe on Social Toolkits provide schools and parents with an array of resources developed by leading cyber safety experts and offers the most current and engaging online safety information available. There are toolkits made for both schools and parents. The school toolkit includes: 50+ Easy to Understand Teacher Cheat Sheets Monthly Parent Resources Alerts on …
Murdoch University have published a blog detailing all the options facing Year 12’s students who are applying to their university for 2021. It includes information about Admission Pathways available in 2020, as well as Changing Preferences – what you might need to know. There are links to further resources and TISC’s relevant pages. You can …
Calling football parents and teacher coaches from grassroots to professional; you’re invited to play in the FCA XV Mind Games Cup 2020/21. The FCA XV Mind Games Cup is an online virtual reality team-based tournament. Presented by and aligned with Football Coaches Australia’s mantra of building Community, Connection and Camaraderie between Australian football coaches, the …
Nuts and Bolts of EARL is a free online resource for parents, carers, teachers and coaches to use with young people, encouraging positive conversations around leadership, teamwork, skills and techniques for developing resilience, confidence, job readiness, dealing with bullies and even the importance of getting good rest. It’s filled with videos, articles, podcasts and activities …
While we have been spending more time at home during lockdowns, we have also been spending more time on the internet. As parents and carers, it is important to know how you can protect and support your children from harassment and exploitation online. Think U Know has a variety of fun and useful resources you …
The job market has changed so much over the last few years, it can be hard for parents to find ways to help their children decide on a career. Australian Apprenticeship Pathways has written a great blog with some tips for parents to help their kids think about the pathways available to them, particularly VET. …
Do you have a child currently in Year 12? This year has presented students with many challenges. If your student is feeling lost, confused or unsure about the future, there are ways you can help. Raising Teenagers has written an article with some tips on how you can support your child through these tough times. …
Do your children catch the bus or other public transport to school each day? If you find that you’re spending a lot on transport, the Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme (NSSTAS) is here to help. As long as your child attends a non-state school, and you live outside of the Brisbane City Council area, …
There’s a new series coming to SBS, it “intimately and dramatically imagines the lives of four teenagers, their teachers and their families throughout the lead up, revelation and aftermath of a nude teen photo scandal”. If you’ve got teens, then it might be worth watching. Sharing any content online could have impacts from the mildly …
“Teen boys have powerful feelings, but parents often mistakenly assume their silence means they prefer to be disengaged. Boys have rich inner lives, and they care deeply about loyalty, friendship and protecting the people they love.” – Kenneth Ginsburg If you’re finding it hard to maintain a strong connection with your teenage son, the author …
Six ways for parents to stay connected with teen sons Read More »
With the rising number of mental health concerns amongst children and teens, this article seeks to address some of the possible causes. It talks about how the increase in technology, means our teens now connect with and compare themselves to more people than ever before. It also goes on to explain how those comparisons are …
Charles Sturt University is hosting a series of information sessions specifically designed for parents, to help them support their child once they start at university. They will provide information about admission, early entry, scholarships and more. The info sessions will be held at the following Charles Sturt University campuses: Albury-Wodonga – Thursday 25 July, 5.30–7.30pm …
Charles Sturt University | Parent Information Sessions Read More »
Navigating the teenage years are minefield, for teens themselves and for the families trying to support them. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that they are still young, still learning and like everyone else, they have bad days, feel down and often feel under pressure. If you want to help and support your teen when they’re …
National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a series of tests focused on basic skills that are administered annually to Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 Australian students. Students are tested on reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. The tests are designed to determine whether students across the board are …
A 3 minute video that explains why teenagers really need self-care and how to encourage it.
Resilience is having the capacity to be calm, clear and adaptive when the going gets tough. And let’s face it, the school years are full of challenging moments for kids; both socially and academically. This cheat sheet has some great suggestions on how to help children build their resilience.
Help your tween or teen develop the mindset of growth, resilience, gratitude, and positivity. Help them find their own voice in a world that is constantly coming at them with what to do, be, and think. Big Life Journal – Teen Edition helps tweens and teens develop confidence…the deep down, know-who-you-are confidence! It encourages them to discover themselves and gets …
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