Middle Years Program (MYP)

Courage to Care’s free Middle Years Program supports students in Years 5–7 to navigate our diverse society with greater understanding, empathy and responsibility.

Students are exposed to complex ideas about identity, difference and belonging earlier than ever and they shouldn’t have to navigate this alone. Through age-appropriate, guided exploration of attitudes and actions, this program equips students with the skills to respond empathetically, take responsibility for their choices and develop confidence to act as Upstanders in their communities.

Session duration: 90 minutes
Delivery: In person

Our evaluation demonstrates

96% of students improved awareness of safe and appropriate responses to discrimination
91% of students demonstrated increased subject knowledge of the concepts of bystanders and Upstanders
93% of teachers recommend Upstander Programs to their peers

Curriculum Alignment

Upstander Programs are curriculum-aligned across Health and Physical Education, Humanities/Civics and Citizenship, Ethical, Personal and Social Capabilities, and Respectful Relationships, while supporting positive behaviour approaches.

Courage to Care also offers a free Secondary Years Program (Years 8-12), designed to extend learning with deeper historical context and critical thinking.

During the session, students will:

Activities & group work

Led by trained Courage to Care volunteer facilitators, students participate in hands-on activities and collaborative group work. These exercises encourage reflection, discussion and shared learning, helping students recognise how individual actions can create positive change.

Hear a survivor’s testimony

Students hear firsthand accounts from a Holocaust Survivor Speaker, or custodians of their stories, describing how ordinary people showed compassion, moral courage and the courage to care during extraordinary circumstances.

These personal stories highlight the power individuals have to make a difference, even in the face of fear or injustice.

Thought exploration

Through guided discussion, students are supported to reflect on their own attitudes and behaviours, developing more thoughtful, respectful and empathetic responses to others.

Learn how to be an Upstander

Students take away practical tools and strategies to help them act as Upstanders within their own friendships, classrooms and social groups.

“I believe this excursion to be one of the best that I have experienced in nearly 30 years of teaching. It was a credit to all concerned and such a program must be continued.”

Assistant Principal, Oberon High School

“This exhibition is exceptional. It is full of life-changing concepts and you are courageous to share it with us.”

Assistant Principal, Westbourne Grammar School

“It engaged the student with real details, then took it further to make it matter. Excellent presenters, great materials, effective program. “

Teacher, Xavier High School

“A wonderful program exceptionally well implemented by enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers.”

Teacher, Camberwell Grammar

“The program links the past with current day perfectly. The students clearly made connections with Upstanders in WWII to current students/Upstanders and saw that they have the ability to be an Upstander.”

Teacher, Ballarat High School

“The talk by a survivor was listened to in silence, although there were over one hundred students present. Attendance is free, yet the ‘return’ in information gained and discussion generated is massive. I commend the Courage to Care volunteers and urge teachers to take advantage of this excellent program.”

Principal, Tintern Schools

“Very powerful! It was great for the students to hear REAL stories which were then linked to the Local Heroes, so the goal of making a difference is made achievable. It had a major impact on students to think about others and have the courage to stand up.”

Teacher, Carranballac College

“Relevant to so much in adolescents’ lives – bullying, acceptance, bigotry, etc. A wonderful program. Please come to our region again soon.”

Teacher, Victory Lutheran College

“This two-hour workshop taught more to the students than we could get through in weeks at school!”

Teacher, Echuca College

“Thank you for making the effort to come to our school. This is the 3rd year that you have come to our school. Your message is perfect for the work we do with our students on bullying.”

Teacher, Ballarat High School

“Real life education activity which helps engage students in understanding the Holocaust and the “Upstanding” message. A great experience, especially for our rural students who cannot travel to Melbourne.”

Teacher, Horsham Secondary College

Our educational resources are available for download at no cost, but we ask you please to provide us with the information we need for our internal evaluation processes.

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Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony

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Upstander Activity Pack

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Upstander Activity Pack SYP

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Upstander Toolkit

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY.

Entrants must be permanent residents of Victoria with a valid residential address, email address, and phone number.

There is no cost to enter.

There are two categories of Entries:

Victorian School Students Competition – which is open to any currently enrolled student in a Victorian Primary or Secondary School (including VCAL or equivalent); and
Open Competition – which is open to all Victorian residents of any age.

Each Entrant may enter only one photograph.

By entering this Competition, you confirm that:

you are the creator and owner of the entered photograph;
you grant Courage to Care (Vic) (“C2C”) at no charge, a perpetual, non-exclusive licence to use, sell and reproduce your photograph in print and digital media, for use in and promotion:
- of C2C’s 30^th Birthday Exhibition; and
- by C2C for any purpose.
the exhibition and promotion of your photograph does not infringe copyright or moral rights; and
you have obtained all relevant permissions of persons shown in photograph.

Your entry for this Competition must include:
A digital image file in jpeg format with a file size of at least 4 MB and no greater than 10 MB
A title for your photograph; and
A written explanation in no more than 50 words that explains why your photograph is relevant to the theme of “Being an Upstander.” For Further information on this theme, refer to couragetocare.org.au
Digital manipulation and alternative post-capture image processing methods of photographs are permitted.

No entries will be accepted after 11:59 pm on 31 March 2022
C2C will acknowledge receipt of all entries. If you do not receive an acknowledgment within fourteen days, please contact C2C competition@couragetocare.org.au.
Entries will not be accepted or judged if:

under normally accepted standards, the photograph could be considered offensive in terms of pornographic content, character denigration, racial or religious prejudice. The Judge’s decision and discretion will be final; or

The Judges will decide and notify the finalists and also the Competition winners. The Judges’ decision is final and no correspondence concerning the Judges’ decision will be considered.

All finalist photographs will be exhibited at the C2C 30^th Birthday Exhibition and will remain for the duration of this period.
C2C reserves the right to curate the exhibition as it sees fit. C2C will determine whether the photograph will be displayed digitally or as a printed photograph. The costs of printing and display of the photographs will be paid by C2C.
The Competition winners will be announced during the C2C 30^th Anniversary Exhibition.
For the duration of the Exhibition, all Photographs must be available for sale. All proceeds of sales will go to C2C as a fundraising initiative to support their charitable purpose.

Photographs will be sold via a “silent auction”. All photographs will be delivered to the purchaser as a printed photograph at C2C’s expense.
The Prizes for the winning Entrants in the Competition are …TBD

C2C will not be responsible for any loss or damage of the submitted digital image files or printed photographs, however caused.
Please note that this Exhibition is separate from the annual Art Show run by B’nai B’rith Victoria.

Middle Years Program (Years 5-7)

During the session, students will:

Activities & group work

Hear a survivor’s testimony

Thought exploration

Learn how to be an Upstander

Some results of our Upstander Programs

Upstander Activity Pack SYP