24 August 2023

Year 11 students from St John’s Regional College, Dandenong, have shared their views on subjects such as bullying, challenging stereotypes, positive thinking, academic stress, addiction, judgement, social media challenges and nurturing friendships in a new series of podcasts.

Developed in collaboration with Majellan Media and titled ‘Chatter Matters’, the unique series of 15-minute podcasts features candid conversations on the topics that resonate with young people today.

Each episode explores a different topic whereby students candidly discuss how they see the issue and how it affects them, while offering ideas on how to address the issue. College counsellors also offer expert advice.

The series is tailored for classroom and small group use, and serves as a tool for teachers, counsellors, parents and anyone engaged with youth. Accompanied by free downloadable worksheets, these podcasts are intended to promote meaningful dialogue and reflection on topics young people need to talk about.

Nine episodes have now been released, with the promise of more in the future.

Principal Tim Hogan is enthusiastic about the project, saying: ‘It’s incredibly rewarding to see our students engaging with such important issues. Their insights are profound and I’m immensely proud that St John’s Regional College is part of this innovative project.

‘These podcasts are not only a testament to the quality of our students, but also highlight the importance of student voice in any community. It’s truly an honour for the college to be involved with Chatter Matters.’

Majellan Media CEO Tony Biviano emphasises the fresh perspective offered by the students. ‘The insights and advice they share are amazing. This is a new experience for them and it’s been a joy to see their development. I believe Chatter Matters will be a tremendous resource for schools across the country, stimulating further discussions among young people, particularly in an era when mental health issues are increasingly prevalent.’

The podcasts can be accessed via https://majellan.media/chatter-matters, on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Kg3m0ZUmYbsvLcAGd8WJh, as well as Apple and other podcast outlets. Worksheets to help foster discussion are also available from https://majellan.media/chatter-matters.