The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys’ Try Time! team have taken their message that "only dead fish go with the flow" to Bwgcolman Community School on Palm Island to encourage local students to make informed choices on their health, lifestyles and futures.
A partnership between South32’s Cannington Mine, Youth with a Mission (YWAM), and the Cowboys, the Try Time! program last week ran workshops with year 11 and 12 students designed to help them to better understand the peer and social pressures they face and motivate them to make positive choices for themselves, rather than 'following the group'.
Cowboys NRL player Scott Bolton and under-20s player Braden Uele made the trip, along with Cowboys community team members and five youth staff and volunteers from YWAM.
The sessions followed on from the 2014 program visit, which covered substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) and social media, and this time addressed active lifestyles, engaging in life, self esteem and body image, health eating (food and obesity) and creating goals.
Bwgcolman Community School principal Jeff Jones believes in the program so much that he sponsored the flights over to Palm Island.
“We had the Try Time! program here last year and the response from the students was incredibly positive," Mr Jones said.
"The messages are vital for our young people and we're really pleased to be part of the program once again."
The Try Time! team have already delivered over 147 sessions to some 2,500 students in 2015, across the Townsville region and McKinlay Shire, with great feedback from teachers and students alike, the fast-paced, interactive workshops proving a hit with students.
"Teachers have let us know that Try Time! is an effective way of improving students’ engagement in school and in life in general," Cowboys general manager – community Fiona Pelling said.
"The impact and the popularity of the program among schools has been incredible, with the Try Time! team having forward bookings this year that will touch over 10,000 students.
"Our research is showing that the messages are hitting the mark with students, with some really encouraging responses on all of our topics, but particularly on the importance of staying in school and questions around ways to help young people deal with drugs and substance abuse."
The Try Time! team are on the road in Cloncurry this week to deliver the program at Cloncurry State School and St Joseph’s Catholic School, with the support of partner South32 Cannington Mine.
Traditional owner Uncle Allan Palm Island with Braden Uele & Scott Bolton
