the you choose program

YOU CHOOSE participants are engaged by powerfully relatable concepts of choice and consequence which are placed in context with their own social skills, their own lives and their own loved ones. Students are inspired by LOVE, FAMILY and the EMPOWERMENT of CHOICE to act as advocates of good decision-making in everyone around them.

YOU CHOOSE’s foundational motto, Own the Choice Own the Outcome is underpinned by powerful messages:

This generation has the awesome potential to be the first to permanently change Australia’s legacy cultural myths that teens are incapable of good decision making; and that recklessness in unavoidable.
Impulsive and passive habits that separate our actions from our intentions are not part of growing up. Consequences are not bad luck or accidental. They are choices. ‘Intentions are irrelevant when actions harm ourselves or others.’
The tired old maxim “We’ve all done it” is simply not good enough – today’s young people are way better than that.
Everyone is empowered right now to start transforming lives by being outspoken about impulsive or passive habits among their peers

Specialty courses in road safety, drugs & alcohol, mental health, consent, bullying, cyber-safety (etc) are crucial and highly valuable. YOU CHOOSE reinforces these with a mission to change attitudes and behaviours through youth-led peer advocacy.
The YOU CHOOSE program is an initial presentation phase, supported in-class by Teacher-Student Resources. These are professionally aligned to Personal & Social Capability elements of the Australian Curriculum for ongoing wellbeing or pastoral care lesson-work throughout the school year. Student-led activities, personal & group enquiry, workshopping, goal-setting, review and assessment exercises provide a formal framework which shapes enduring attitudes and behaviours.
Teachers are provided with a YOU CHOOSE Teacher Support Manager – a professional educator who is available to assist with program facilitation queries and guidance required to optimise outcomes. Youth Advisors – teens who have recently participated in the program – ensure that relatability, authenticity and messaging are accurately calibrated for 15 to 18 year-olds.
There’s both anecdotal and empirical evidence that young Australians are moved to act in response to YOU CHOOSE mission messages about Intentions, Choices, Outcomes, Love, Family, Empowerment and Social Mission.
Together, we can uplift each other to reduce preventable regret, harm, crime and trauma with immediate effect.