Compiled by Hayley Egan

On Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th May, female students from Ungarie Central School in Years 5 – 12 participated in a workshop run by Brooke Tilyard of ‘Bloom from Within’, which is a self-confidence education initiative specifically designed for adolescent and teenage girls.
The program is supported by psychologists and counsellors, and this research-based program equips students with knowledge, skills, and strategies to navigate and overcome low selfconfidence.
Josie Daniher, a past student of UCS, joined some of our students for the sessions as part of Brooke’s team. Students were split into Years 5 – 7 and Years 8 – 12 to take part in 2 sessions on each day. During the sessions, students developed their ability to recognise misleading online content, which can have a negative impact on their self-esteem, particularly when comparing themselves to others.
Topics covered included:
• How to set and maintain healthy boundaries online and when and how to report negative, harmful or unsafe situations online.
• Learning the difference between edited and unedited images and about external factors that influence self-perception.
• Body image and acceptance. Understanding the thinking cycle and reframing unhelpful thoughts and limiting beliefs that often contribute to negative body image and low self-esteem.
Throughout the sessions, students developed an understanding of ‘The Thinking Cycle’ and its impact on the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
By fostering resilience, self-awareness, and practical skills, Bloom from Within supports our students in building a strong sense of self-worth and wellbeing that extends beyond the classroom into their everyday lives.
Source: Ungarie Central School Newsletter. Image Credits: Ungarie Central School Facebook page.