For the past 19 years, MLMC has participated in training a group of Year 11 students to become Yellow Ribbon Ambassadors. The emphasis throughout the training has been ‘It’s OK to ask for help’. Ambassadors are trained to know how to assist another young person to access help from an appropriate service and develop life-long skills such as effective communication. The program has been embedded in the school curriculum and has become part of the culture and ethos at MLMC.
We have been impressed with the quality of leadership from our young ambassadors and are extremely proud in the way they have demonstrated compassion, empathy and a willingness to empower others.
Each year the College conducts fundraising in August for Kids Helpline. This year’s fundraising event will be held in the near future, with Yellow Ribbon Ambassadors selling cupcakes and other sweets. They have also recently run workshops with Year 9 students (pictured), teaching them the skill of empathy.
The Yellow Ribbon program has an overarching aim to encourage young people to ask for help. Help-seeking behaviour is recognised as an important life skill for wellbeing and resilience. Yellow Ribbon aims to educate young people so that they feel comfortable asking for help within all kinds of typical, everyday situations; ranging from problems such as frustration, bullying, fears and phobias, family problems, school problems, homework, peer issues, drug problems, anger/conflict management, relationship difficulties, sadness, grief to thoughts of self-harming behaviours. The program originated in the USA in 1994 when Mike Emme, aged 17, took his life. Mike, like many young people, did not know the words to say or how to let someone know that he was in trouble and needed help.
The Yellow Ribbon Program trains young people to become ambassadors and respond to crisis from their peers.
