Veritas College launches Positivity Club
One-hundred-and-nine learners have joined the social media group thus far, with many attending weekly meetings to be physically involved in implementing a meaningful change.
Covid-19 and its consequences negatively affected many people.
“As school lay counsellors at Veritas College, Shannon Carr and I noticed an increase in the number of learners requesting counselling,” said Catherine Boonzaaier, also a teacher at the school.
“We saw with the effects of social distancing, many learners had entered a negative mental space and struggled to regulate their emotions.
“Many positive coping mechanisms, such as the physical contact of a hug or the emotional benefits of connection through social gatherings, had not been possible.
“Teenagers thrive on social interaction, developing a deeper understanding of themselves through constant peer interaction. This left us concerned,” explained Boonzaaier.
She said for the first time, the atmosphere was negative at the college, with learners feeling helpless in the face of the pandemic and its after-effects.
“We knew something needed to be done to change it,” she added.
Boonzaaier explained during a school meeting she felt God planted the idea of a positivity movement in her heart.
“From my studies in psychology, I know one of the best ways to combat mental health hurdles is through action and involvement.
“The moment a person can see the positive effect his or her actions have in a broader sphere, it makes them feel both empowered and motivated toward change,” she said.
She still had doubts, but she pressed on. The Positivity Committee officially began in January 2022, and the response was overwhelming.
One-hundred-and-nine learners have joined the social media group thus far, with many attending weekly meetings to be physically involved in implementing a meaningful change.
The Positivity Committee utilises the principles of positive psychology to help learners generate ideas for change, implemented with the help of staff members.
It allows learners to feel a sense of autonomy in making change and having their voices heard. It helps them recognise the power and impact participation in something meaningful can have.
Projects range from Spirit Week celebrations (boosting learner morale), to Movie Club (allowing learners a safe space to gather for social connection) and mental health awareness initiatives (such as the Mental Health Mondays movement).
“What I love most about positivity, other than the learners’ energy and enthusiasm, is that the effects extend to all stakeholders of the college – the staff, the Veritas family members, the community, and the learners themselves.
“One idea generates a ripple that extends beyond the effect, which that person can anticipate. Perhaps this is what God has brought us together to achieve,” said Boonzaaier
Learners recently joined the Positivity Club in a mural project. They also created a lyrics wall with ‘wings of music to take you away’.
The learners were invited to share their favourite line from a song that makes them feel better on a gloomy day, and they added those lines to the wall.
They will create a Spotify playlist where students, teachers and parents can listen to the songs that make their community feel better.
