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The initiative comprised a series of eight experiential learning sessions held from May to August 2024 for a group of 20 middle school students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The series was designed to foster a safe and supportive environment in which students could freely explore themselves, their talents, and their emotional world through music, visual arts, and writing. A peer-mentoring approach was adopted, engaging 15 high school and university volunteers as team leaders to guide and support younger participants. This model enabled both groups to build inner capacity, develop essential soft skills, and cultivate a community where youth empower youth.
Together, we recreated a learning environment rooted in kindness and support—encouraging students to take bold steps and express their uniqueness, just as our lecturers at RMIT empowered us to do.
At Thao Dan Social Service Centre, I witnessed a critical gap: during school breaks, disadvantaged children are left without safe, creative spaces to grow. Despite their talent, imagination, and emotional depth, many are held back by timidity, insecurity, and a lack of platforms to express themselves. Their love for the arts is undeniable—yet access to meaningful artistic exploration remains a privilege they cannot afford. That’s why I led an initiative rooted in a simple but radical belief: education must be a tool for self-exploration and empowerment. Quality education should be accessible, inclusive, and learner-centred. We must design spaces that unlock confidence, creativity, and voice—because potential should never be silenced by circumstance.
The series provided a safe, structured environment, with a 90% retention rate (18 out of 20 students) across all eight sessions. This consistency enabled deeper engagement and allowed social workers to observe behavioral patterns for more effective case management. Over 80% of students expanded their emotional vocabulary using tools like the Wheel of Emotions, enhancing their self-awareness and ability to express feelings. They also gained confidence using tools like Canva, Musical Canvas, and creative writing to produce and present original works—demonstrating both emotional and technical growth. Importantly, the series transformed students from passive participants into active agents of change. Fifteen students volunteered for future organizing or performance teams, and three auditioned for their school’s music clubs—milestones they wouldn’t have considered before. Post-session feedback highlighted students’ appreciation for teamwork, conflict resolution, and respectful collaboration—evidence that the peer-mentoring model successfully fostered a supportive, youth-led environment where young people uplift one another.
My experience as a part-time tutor and full-time Peer-Assisted Learning Officer at RMIT’s Student Academic Success enabled me to apply the peer-mentoring model and learner-centred workshop design to co-create this experiential learning series and introduce a new approach to education for students at Thao Dan. Bachelor of Languages students joined my initiative as volunteer team leaders. Together, we recreated a learning environment rooted in kindness and support—encouraging students to take bold steps and express their uniqueness, just as our lecturers at RMIT empowered us to do.