On November 19th, some of our Year 10 boys attended a highly inspiring event at Blackpool Sixth Form College to celebrate International Men's Day. The day was packed with engaging and impactful workshops designed to foster resilience, broaden horizons, and promote positive choices for our young men.
Keynote & Personal Development
The day featured a powerful keynote from Andrew Jenkins of Strength In You Ltd, a finalist on BBC’s The Traitors. Andrew shared his incredible journey of defying the odds after a life-changing car accident, focusing on mental resilience, overcoming adversity, and building self-worth.
This aligned perfectly with the Inner Spark workshop, which uses the SPARK model to build confidence and emotional wellbeing:
- Self-Awareness
- Purpose
- Accountability
- Resilience
- Kindness
Students also participated in sessions designed for introspection:
- Vision for the Future: A 20-minute workshop encouraging students to reflect on their goals, how focus shapes success, and to aim with purpose.
- Self-Exploration: Time and space to think about personal values, individual definitions of success, and challenging limiting beliefs.
Life Skills & Safety
Crucial practical and safety workshops equipped the pupils with vital knowledge:
- Financial Futures (NatWest): Students learned practical tips on managing money wisely, from budgeting basics to making smart financial choices.
- Knife Crime Awareness (Lancashire Police): An eye-opening workshop delivered a deeper understanding of the dangers and consequences of knife crime, stressing the importance of making safe, positive choices.
- Social Action & Community Safety (Green Dot): Blackpool Sixth’s Social Action group introduced the Green Dot and Red Dot behaviours, giving students tools to challenge harm and promote a safer, more supportive community.
Career Exploration & Physical Wellbeing
To challenge stereotypes and inspire active lifestyles, the pupils engaged in a range of activities:
- Personal Branding (@ontrendwithajames): Ex-Blackpool Sixth student James ran an inspirational session on branding and logo design, a must for any aspiring graphic designers.
- Outdoor Leadership (Poulton Scouts District): This workshop offered young men the chance to grow their outdoor leadership skills, learning practical techniques and developing qualities of teamwork and resilience.
- Paralympic Inspiration: Paralympic fencer Justine Moore shared her personal story of resilience, determination, and achievement, offering students insight into the world of Paralympic sport.
- Boxing Benefits (Brian Rose Boxing): The session offered a taste of the physical and mental benefits of boxing, teaching safe execution and providing all necessary safety equipment.
It was a truly motivating day that encouraged our students to reflect on their own lives, embrace challenges, and aim high.