For many students, joining our school community comes after a wide range of educational experiences. Some may carry memories of environments where connection felt difficult, or where bullying or exclusion shaped how they see themselves and others. While the online world can be a vulnerable space, our teaching and wellbeing teams work to model empathy and respect in every interaction, helping students to learn what it means to form and maintain respectful relationships, even behind a screen.
VSV Connect Weeks are designed to foster learning enrichment and social growth beyond the virtual classroom. During the middle years of a child’s education, a sense of belonging becomes central to wellbeing. Friendships start to take centre stage as young people begin to explore who they are, developing independence and identity beyond the family unit and home environment.
With a range of events and activities spanning subject talks, careers sessions that spark pathway inspiration, and assemblies that bring whole year levels together, Connect Weeks help students feel seen and supported as part of a wider community. Most of these events take place virtually, giving online learners the opportunity to connect meaningfully wherever they are.
But when we provide opportunities to meet in person, something special happens. Shared experiences can spark new connections that might blossom into lasting friendships if gently nurtured. Our Years 7–9 students went on an excursion to Funfields in Whittlesea last Friday for a day of connection and fun, and it’s experiences like these that remind us of the importance of empathy, respect, collaboration and growth — the values that underpin respectful relationships in every learning setting.
Building friendships takes time, especially in online environments where opportunities for connection can look a little different. Here are some ways you can support your child to sustain and grow the connections they make during Connect Week:
- Encourage small steps. A quick message to check in after Connect Week or joining a shared online study session can keep new friendships alive. These small gestures build confidence and belonging over time.
- Talk about what makes a good friend. Continue conversations about kindness, empathy and respect to help young people recognise what healthy, supportive friendships look and feel like, both online and in person.
- Celebrate diversity and shared experience. Normalise for your child that every learner has a unique journey. It may be that others in their virtual classroom have faced similar challenges in the past. Connection often grows through shared understanding.
- Participate in VSV-led online clubs or group projects
Find a shared purpose and routine connection beyond the virtual classroom.
- Create social ‘study spaces’
Create and online co-studying space via call or screen-share — being “together” while working can strengthen bonds even without constant conversation.
When we help young people feel part of something bigger, we give them the courage to connect, to trust, and to grow. And sometimes, it starts with a simple “hello”, whether that’s in a classroom chat, during Connect Week, or on the bus to Funfields.
