Creating Chances

Prospective users

Aims & approach

The Creating Chances Youth Development Pathway offers flexibility. Choose from three programs and tailor the experience to student's needs.

Programs are designed to engage students from diverse backgrounds and take into consideration local contexts during planning and delivery with each school.

Springboard

• For students in years 5 and 6.
• Designed to develop resilience, self-awareness, positive relationships and conflict resolution skills.
• Experiential learning workshops, tailored sports activities and role-modelling, to engage students as they navigate through the challenges of the later stages of Primary School and the transition to High School.
• Students take on leadership roles as the plan and run peer based games awarding points.
• Students reflect on the experience to draw out key concepts and lessons, develop generalisations about the lessons that relate to them, and apply the key messages to their lives.

Champions

• For students in years 7 and 9.
• Uses workshops and sports activities to inspire students to develop their personal and social skills as they learn to understand themselves.
• Students experience, role model, and reflect upon the skills that will support them to make positive relationship choices, manage and resolve conflict, and understand the strengths and values they possess.
• Similar opportunities to take on leadership roles and reflect on the experience.
• Delivery focuses on the importance of positive relationships, opportunities, and creating environments that support youth to increase their sense of self-worth and belonging.

Coaches

• For students in years 9 and 10.
• Provides students with the opportunity to grow as leaders and feel empowered as role models as they design and deliver sport programs for their younger peers.
• Leadership, responsibility, communication, and pride in their work helps increase their sense of belonging and achievement.
• Participants also actively develop their conflict resolution skills, gain experience in both giving and receiving feedback, and foster a stronger sense of belonging.
• Delivered over 10 weekly sessions (including coaching) by a minimum of 2 staff members.

The in-person sessions are available in the following regions:

NSW: Metro Sydney, Illawarra/South Coast, Central Coast/Lake Macquarie, Newcastle/Port Stephens, Lower Hunter Valley, Armidale, New England, Central West NSW, North West NSW, Far South West/Sunraysia VIC: Mildura/Malee, Melbourne/Frankston

Implementation support

• Access to professional facilitator, instructor or mentor

Evidence

All Creating Chances programs are evidence-based and underpinned by a Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework. They take a strengths-based approach, viewing young people as valuable resources rather than solely focusing on problems. References include:

Baffsky, R., Kemp, L., & Bunde-Birouste, A. (2021). Theory of Change in Sports-Based Urban Youth Programs: Lessons from Creating Chances. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health.

Creating Chances evaluates each program across the domains of sense of belonging, optimism/hope, resilience, and self-efficacy. The positive impact of the program is supported by an evaluation conducted by UNSW.