From Parents and Teachers...
Good afternoon, I just wanted to offer some positive feedback about an in-school workshop my daughter was involved in last week at her secondary college. She came home all excited about the workshops. She found the content relevant, the facilitator was fun and treated them like teenagers - not little kids, she was responsive to their needs and what was relevant to them, they enjoyed the prizes and it seems to have been a great approach to deliver the content to boys and girls separately, appealing to their different ways of taking in information, etc. Fantastic to have such a relevant workshop to highlight skills and knowledge needed throughout life. I wish there was such a thing when I was a kid! Thank you.
Leanne Backman | Year 9 Parent
I was so delighted on Friday afternoon when my daughter came home from school full of passion and excitement about your program. For her your
messages about the media and how women are portrayed and manipulated came at the right time. Hearing about this in a context away from home seems to have been important for her as she has more ownership of the knowledge and ideas and she's loving telling us all about the media and body image, women in politics, corporate duplicity. The workshops really meant a lot to her. You have planted a seed and I think this little plant will grow up to be a mighty tree!
Thank you and I hope you'll be a regular at her school. Wouldn't it be great if programs like this were part of the regular curriculum!
Regards,
Karin Champagne | Year 8 Parent
Hello, you delivered your program today at my daughter's school and I just wanted you to know my daughter thought it was brilliant - she loved it. She has told me all about it, remembered so much and said the whole day was very informative, entertaining and perfect for their age level. Thank you so much for offering this advice to empower young women.
Vanessa McDonough | Year 7 Parent
Can you please pass on my thanks to the person or people who organised the SEED Workshops Healthy Relationships Day yesterday. Em shared her experiences and appeared to take on the messages the day held in a positive and respectful manner - for that we are very grateful. From a parent perspective the messages were timely, and focused on the crucial issues of respect, the power to say no and positive thinking - thank you.
Year 8 Parent
Thank you so much for this presentation. It was pitched at exactly the right level for the girls. The feedback from the girls was outstanding – the majority saying that they expected the day to be boring but actually really enjoyed themselves. Catherine was dynamic, engaging and very passionate – this energy was passed on to the girls and they learned a lot as well as enjoying the day.
Well done Catherine – keeping 90 Year 10 girls engaged for a whole day is not an easy feat!!!
Samantha Powell | Year 10 Coordinator
Great day! Presented fantastically and very interactive. So much relevant information and very age appropriate. Thank you. :)
Carly Walsh | Year 8 Teacher
Catherine was a pleasure to work with; from the planning stage through to the actual event. She was professional, friendly and flexible. The workshops really struck a chord with our students and it is lovely to see the immediate results - increased morale and positivity! The parents who attended the evening seminar found the information useful and engaging. Thank you for everything, Catherine!
Kathryn Bishop | Year Level Advisor
Today was informative and worthwhile for young girls. The best part about it was the presenter, and that the girls were really involved. This program needs to run for all other year groups too.
Rhonda Douglas | Teacher/Girls’ Advisor
Thank you so much for your presentation last Tuesday. When I was scrolling through workshops to run with our students, this was EXACTLY what I had in mind; something which would be engaging and really raise awareness about core issues that are relevant to our students. Not only did your presentation promote discussion amongst students, but it also allowed for rich discussion between teachers and students and between staff members. I would highly recommend your brand of workshop – using humour and historical facts to debunk stereotypes and stigma surrounding certain issues. Thanks again for a wonderful experience.
Melissa Cochrane | Year 10 Pastoral Leader
Thank you so much for coming out to spend such a great day with our girls. I was very impressed with the connection you established with the girls and thought the content throughout the day was fantastic. We are certainly interested in having you return next year to do sessions with our boys and girls. We absolutely loved you! Your warmth and genuine approach is wonderful. All activities were great… really great. I am really keen to continue communication with you and I think you offer a very valuable and rare product.
Melissa Coad | Teacher/Coordinator Year 9
The workshops were interactive, interesting and informative. The students really engaged in the activities and hearing your personal stories. The affirmations and encouragement were all so positive. Thank you!
Johanna Chavez | Student Wellbeing
I expected it to be a bit preachy, but it wasn't! Your positivity and genuine care for the students was great and they appreciated that you were really honest. Well done!
Leah Gargano | Teacher - Year 8
From the girls...
'SEED Workshops taught me how much I love my friends, how to enjoy life, how to manage stress, to stand up for myself, and to never give up. It was a really great day. So exciting and so much fun!'
Katelyn, Year 8
'Thank you for coming today. As if it's fate, I really needed this workshop to help fuel my confidence at a time where I feel I’m losing myself in others and in others online. I am forever grateful for your visit today.'
Surani, Year 9
'I would definitely recommend this SEED Workshops program as it is something I reckon every teenage girl needs to do. It opens your eyes to unrealistic body-image and teachers you important life skills to navigate relationships.'
Lucy, Year 9
'All of your workshops were excellent. I learnt to believe in myself, to be strong and stand strong against negative comments, and how to find love and
trust in myself and my friends. Catherine is cool! A great influence on others.'
Mikaela, Year 8
'This was so great. The Respectful Relationships case study was really good because we never talk about it. I learnt lots of important statistics, about relationships, and equal rights. It wasn’t boring at all and was really interactive.'
Maddy, Year 10
'Today was absolutely fabulous! I loved ALL of it. I think it empowered us and taught us to be strong, calm and beautiful. THANK YOU so much for teaching me to stand true to my beliefs and to fight for my values. It was very inspiring and lovely.'
Hannah, Year 9
'I expected today to be just average, but it was really good! It was very interesting and I loved the part about females in history. I learnt how to overcome stress and about living with anxiety. It was really enjoyable and I had lots of fun.'
Chantelle, Year 9
'This was AMAZEBALLS!!! I loved learning about gender equality, sexism in advertising, and I learnt to respect and love myself. Great workshops – very encouraging. Thank you for inspiring me to do my best and go that little bit further in life. ♥'
Cellina, Year 9
'I really loved the whole presentation. I thought it was fun, informative and humorous. I learnt more about equal rights, how girls should and shouldn’t treat each other, and how to set and respect boundaries in a relationship. These workshops were excellent.'
Roan, Year 10
'Today was so informative and fun. I loved the stories and the case studies and tips because the way it was presented was energetic and genuine. i learnt to stand up for myself, about real-life situations, and that women don’t need to be what they’re expected to be. This was AWESOME!'
Louise, Year 10
'Today was very informative. The best thing was learning how to stand up for myself and other girls. Everything Catherine talked about helped. ♥'
Montana, Year 10
From the boys...
'I would highly recommend SEED Workshops to others because this is a vital thing you need to learn. Thank you for coming to our school today.'
Jordan, Year 9
'I had no clue what today was going to be like, but it was excellent. The best bit was learning to be more respectful and actually use the actions of respect, even if it is to stop my way of ‘joking around’. This program has taught me to be respectful and think before I do; that things I say may hurt someone else, and that I can be more of myself in a better way. Today has made me feel more confident and stand up for myself and others.'
Hassan, Year 10
'To be honest, I thought this would be pretty s**t, but it was excellent - especially the Q&A discussion - that was A+. The best part was the porn talk because I've never seen people approach the situation the way you did you. You guys made it a lot less awkward. I learnt that as men we need to make some changes, that you can access so much on the Internet, that there can be emotionally abusive relationships, and porn is often totally disrespectful to women. I love your work. Keep doing what you're doing. I learnt a lot today.'
Finn, Year 10
'I thought this would just be like a boring lecture, but it was excellent. I really enjoyed discussing various gender constructs that affect various people and their reactions to external and internal stimuli. I learnt about the different social constructs impressed on young children, how to visualise a quiet place where stress may be reduced, how to recognise early signs of an unhealthy relationship, various traits of mine that other people appreciate, how to incorporate various methods of emotional release, and to empathise with others. I thought today was fantastic. The presentation was engaging and relatable for the audience. Thank you! I'd recommend SEED Workshops to others.'
Arjay, Year 8
'My favourite workshop was Respectful Relationships because it will help with my own. I learnt to respect women.'
David, Year 10
'The best part of today was learning about gender equality. I also enjoyed learning how to have respectful relationships and how to present myself. It was full of info relevant to us.'
Matthew, Year 10
'My favourite part was watching the role-plays because they were funny. I learnt things about movies, video games, that girls get paid less, girls don’t get appreciated, and that men need to have certain things to ‘be a man’. I thought it would be alright today but it was excellent!'
Frank, Year 9
'The role-plays were the best part as acting out different scenes really helped us to understand. I learnt about gender, relationships, equality, song lyrics, and about girls and guys.'
Lachlan, Year 9
'Today was awesome. My favourite part was talking about gender stereotypes. I learnt about comfort zones, dating tips, the ‘man box’, respect, and gender. This is good education on dating.'
Joseph, Year 9
'I thought it would just be a lot of talking, but it was great! I liked all of it. I learnt how to respect girls, to dare to stand up, and to not be sexist. It was very informative.'
Alexander, Year 10
'I enjoyed everything about this because it was funny and informational. I learnt to not be sexist, don’t make sexist jokes, stand up against it, don’t be discriminational, and be respectful. It was excellent.'
Alex, Year 7
'I really enjoyed the role plays the best because the presenters made it funny. I learnt to respect, about sexism, and how to treat girls in fairness.'
Gerald, Year 9
'The best part for me was when we were addressing equal rights, and also discussing social relationships. They helped me understand things I didn’t know before. They also taught me about dating, gender equality, and danger signs in relationships. It was excellent.'
Aaron, Year 9
'I didn't think I'd learn anything today, but I learnt a lot. These workshops were engaging, entertaining, interesting and insightful. I'm grateful to have this kind of learning experience because I learnt life skills that will help me, not just now, but in the future. Everyone should do this program. It's the best.'
Marcus, Year 11
Good afternoon, I just wanted to offer some positive feedback about an in-school workshop my daughter was involved in last week at her secondary college. She came home all excited about the workshops. She found the content relevant, the facilitator was fun and treated them like teenagers - not little kids, she was responsive to their needs and what was relevant to them, they enjoyed the prizes and it seems to have been a great approach to deliver the content to boys and girls separately, appealing to their different ways of taking in information, etc. Fantastic to have such a relevant workshop to highlight skills and knowledge needed throughout life. I wish there was such a thing when I was a kid! Thank you.
Leanne Backman | Year 9 Parent
I was so delighted on Friday afternoon when my daughter came home from school full of passion and excitement about your program. For her your
messages about the media and how women are portrayed and manipulated came at the right time. Hearing about this in a context away from home seems to have been important for her as she has more ownership of the knowledge and ideas and she's loving telling us all about the media and body image, women in politics, corporate duplicity. The workshops really meant a lot to her. You have planted a seed and I think this little plant will grow up to be a mighty tree!
Thank you and I hope you'll be a regular at her school. Wouldn't it be great if programs like this were part of the regular curriculum!
Regards,
Karin Champagne | Year 8 Parent
Hello, you delivered your program today at my daughter's school and I just wanted you to know my daughter thought it was brilliant - she loved it. She has told me all about it, remembered so much and said the whole day was very informative, entertaining and perfect for their age level. Thank you so much for offering this advice to empower young women.
Vanessa McDonough | Year 7 Parent
Can you please pass on my thanks to the person or people who organised the SEED Workshops Healthy Relationships Day yesterday. Em shared her experiences and appeared to take on the messages the day held in a positive and respectful manner - for that we are very grateful. From a parent perspective the messages were timely, and focused on the crucial issues of respect, the power to say no and positive thinking - thank you.
Year 8 Parent
Thank you so much for this presentation. It was pitched at exactly the right level for the girls. The feedback from the girls was outstanding – the majority saying that they expected the day to be boring but actually really enjoyed themselves. Catherine was dynamic, engaging and very passionate – this energy was passed on to the girls and they learned a lot as well as enjoying the day.
Well done Catherine – keeping 90 Year 10 girls engaged for a whole day is not an easy feat!!!
Samantha Powell | Year 10 Coordinator
Great day! Presented fantastically and very interactive. So much relevant information and very age appropriate. Thank you. :)
Carly Walsh | Year 8 Teacher
Catherine was a pleasure to work with; from the planning stage through to the actual event. She was professional, friendly and flexible. The workshops really struck a chord with our students and it is lovely to see the immediate results - increased morale and positivity! The parents who attended the evening seminar found the information useful and engaging. Thank you for everything, Catherine!
Kathryn Bishop | Year Level Advisor
Today was informative and worthwhile for young girls. The best part about it was the presenter, and that the girls were really involved. This program needs to run for all other year groups too.
Rhonda Douglas | Teacher/Girls’ Advisor
Thank you so much for your presentation last Tuesday. When I was scrolling through workshops to run with our students, this was EXACTLY what I had in mind; something which would be engaging and really raise awareness about core issues that are relevant to our students. Not only did your presentation promote discussion amongst students, but it also allowed for rich discussion between teachers and students and between staff members. I would highly recommend your brand of workshop – using humour and historical facts to debunk stereotypes and stigma surrounding certain issues. Thanks again for a wonderful experience.
Melissa Cochrane | Year 10 Pastoral Leader
Thank you so much for coming out to spend such a great day with our girls. I was very impressed with the connection you established with the girls and thought the content throughout the day was fantastic. We are certainly interested in having you return next year to do sessions with our boys and girls. We absolutely loved you! Your warmth and genuine approach is wonderful. All activities were great… really great. I am really keen to continue communication with you and I think you offer a very valuable and rare product.
Melissa Coad | Teacher/Coordinator Year 9
The workshops were interactive, interesting and informative. The students really engaged in the activities and hearing your personal stories. The affirmations and encouragement were all so positive. Thank you!
Johanna Chavez | Student Wellbeing
I expected it to be a bit preachy, but it wasn't! Your positivity and genuine care for the students was great and they appreciated that you were really honest. Well done!
Leah Gargano | Teacher - Year 8
From the girls...
'SEED Workshops taught me how much I love my friends, how to enjoy life, how to manage stress, to stand up for myself, and to never give up. It was a really great day. So exciting and so much fun!'
Katelyn, Year 8
'Thank you for coming today. As if it's fate, I really needed this workshop to help fuel my confidence at a time where I feel I’m losing myself in others and in others online. I am forever grateful for your visit today.'
Surani, Year 9
'I would definitely recommend this SEED Workshops program as it is something I reckon every teenage girl needs to do. It opens your eyes to unrealistic body-image and teachers you important life skills to navigate relationships.'
Lucy, Year 9
'All of your workshops were excellent. I learnt to believe in myself, to be strong and stand strong against negative comments, and how to find love and
trust in myself and my friends. Catherine is cool! A great influence on others.'
Mikaela, Year 8
'This was so great. The Respectful Relationships case study was really good because we never talk about it. I learnt lots of important statistics, about relationships, and equal rights. It wasn’t boring at all and was really interactive.'
Maddy, Year 10
'Today was absolutely fabulous! I loved ALL of it. I think it empowered us and taught us to be strong, calm and beautiful. THANK YOU so much for teaching me to stand true to my beliefs and to fight for my values. It was very inspiring and lovely.'
Hannah, Year 9
'I expected today to be just average, but it was really good! It was very interesting and I loved the part about females in history. I learnt how to overcome stress and about living with anxiety. It was really enjoyable and I had lots of fun.'
Chantelle, Year 9
'This was AMAZEBALLS!!! I loved learning about gender equality, sexism in advertising, and I learnt to respect and love myself. Great workshops – very encouraging. Thank you for inspiring me to do my best and go that little bit further in life. ♥'
Cellina, Year 9
'I really loved the whole presentation. I thought it was fun, informative and humorous. I learnt more about equal rights, how girls should and shouldn’t treat each other, and how to set and respect boundaries in a relationship. These workshops were excellent.'
Roan, Year 10
'Today was so informative and fun. I loved the stories and the case studies and tips because the way it was presented was energetic and genuine. i learnt to stand up for myself, about real-life situations, and that women don’t need to be what they’re expected to be. This was AWESOME!'
Louise, Year 10
'Today was very informative. The best thing was learning how to stand up for myself and other girls. Everything Catherine talked about helped. ♥'
Montana, Year 10
From the boys...
'I would highly recommend SEED Workshops to others because this is a vital thing you need to learn. Thank you for coming to our school today.'
Jordan, Year 9
'I had no clue what today was going to be like, but it was excellent. The best bit was learning to be more respectful and actually use the actions of respect, even if it is to stop my way of ‘joking around’. This program has taught me to be respectful and think before I do; that things I say may hurt someone else, and that I can be more of myself in a better way. Today has made me feel more confident and stand up for myself and others.'
Hassan, Year 10
'To be honest, I thought this would be pretty s**t, but it was excellent - especially the Q&A discussion - that was A+. The best part was the porn talk because I've never seen people approach the situation the way you did you. You guys made it a lot less awkward. I learnt that as men we need to make some changes, that you can access so much on the Internet, that there can be emotionally abusive relationships, and porn is often totally disrespectful to women. I love your work. Keep doing what you're doing. I learnt a lot today.'
Finn, Year 10
'I thought this would just be like a boring lecture, but it was excellent. I really enjoyed discussing various gender constructs that affect various people and their reactions to external and internal stimuli. I learnt about the different social constructs impressed on young children, how to visualise a quiet place where stress may be reduced, how to recognise early signs of an unhealthy relationship, various traits of mine that other people appreciate, how to incorporate various methods of emotional release, and to empathise with others. I thought today was fantastic. The presentation was engaging and relatable for the audience. Thank you! I'd recommend SEED Workshops to others.'
Arjay, Year 8
'My favourite workshop was Respectful Relationships because it will help with my own. I learnt to respect women.'
David, Year 10
'The best part of today was learning about gender equality. I also enjoyed learning how to have respectful relationships and how to present myself. It was full of info relevant to us.'
Matthew, Year 10
'My favourite part was watching the role-plays because they were funny. I learnt things about movies, video games, that girls get paid less, girls don’t get appreciated, and that men need to have certain things to ‘be a man’. I thought it would be alright today but it was excellent!'
Frank, Year 9
'The role-plays were the best part as acting out different scenes really helped us to understand. I learnt about gender, relationships, equality, song lyrics, and about girls and guys.'
Lachlan, Year 9
'Today was awesome. My favourite part was talking about gender stereotypes. I learnt about comfort zones, dating tips, the ‘man box’, respect, and gender. This is good education on dating.'
Joseph, Year 9
'I thought it would just be a lot of talking, but it was great! I liked all of it. I learnt how to respect girls, to dare to stand up, and to not be sexist. It was very informative.'
Alexander, Year 10
'I enjoyed everything about this because it was funny and informational. I learnt to not be sexist, don’t make sexist jokes, stand up against it, don’t be discriminational, and be respectful. It was excellent.'
Alex, Year 7
'I really enjoyed the role plays the best because the presenters made it funny. I learnt to respect, about sexism, and how to treat girls in fairness.'
Gerald, Year 9
'The best part for me was when we were addressing equal rights, and also discussing social relationships. They helped me understand things I didn’t know before. They also taught me about dating, gender equality, and danger signs in relationships. It was excellent.'
Aaron, Year 9
'I didn't think I'd learn anything today, but I learnt a lot. These workshops were engaging, entertaining, interesting and insightful. I'm grateful to have this kind of learning experience because I learnt life skills that will help me, not just now, but in the future. Everyone should do this program. It's the best.'
Marcus, Year 11