TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OTHER TEACHERS HAVE HAD TO SAY

DIRECT FROM OUR PROGRAM FEEDBACK FORMS

The collaboration and engagement of students was amazing. The facilitators were great communicators and provided context to activities and messages.

Taylors Lakes Secondary College

I love how you were able to hit the theme’s we presented. I also love the style you present in and the energy you bring. It is infectious and our students could not help but get involved and have fun

St Andrew’s College NZ

The delivery of the program was engaging and energetic. The students thoroughly enjoyed the various activities which were relevant and appropriate to Peer Support training.

Pittwater High School

Absolutely amazing. Best program that we have had here at out school.

Rouse Hill Anglican College

Brilliant and engaging program

Alphington Grammar School

Excellent, the presenters were very professional and engaging to students. They understood the students needs and tailored their program accordingly.

Korowa Anglican Girls School

The presenter did a great job and altering the pace of the day and having reflective moments as well as time to enjoy themselves

Daramalan College

Excellent – will be recommending to peers outside the school

St Patrick’s College, Sutherland

Excellent! The students were engaged and seemed to get a lot out of their experience.

Canley Vale High School

Excellent. Fantastic communication pre program, very professional staff with a passion for wellbeing which came across in the content throughout the day.

Korowa Anglican Girls School

We loved the opportunities provided to students to get to know each other and collaborate together. The students enjoyed the ‘Icebreakers’ and the way they were linked back to their leadership.

Mount St Joseph Milperra

Fantastic. I have always looked forward to their delivery and I know the students will always take home valuable information and skills. The facilitators worked with me on some content that needed delivery and they were flexible and more than willing to accommodate my requests. Thank you.

Pittwater High School

Fantastic. Thank you. The program generated so much energy in the year group and this was evident. Activities were well timed and there was a good balance between whole group activity and contribution and individual reflection and application.

Daramalan College

Great company with fantastic presenters who are enthusiastic about student leadership and are quickly able to develop a strong rapport with the group of students

Lara Secondary College

There was a lot of student participation and students got a lot out of spending a day training for their leadership positions for next year.

Masada College

I thought it was a well run and resourced program that created a safe and fun working environment in which people felt able to share ideas and work towards common goals.

The Friends School

The warm and positive demeanour of the facilitators. They instantly engaged the girls and kept their attention for the whole day. Great energy! The mix of whole group, pair and individual tasks was great. Movement breaks and songs also great ways of enhancing levels of engagement and enjoyment

SCEGGS Darlinghurst

The activities were really well aligned to what we as a school want to teach the students about leadership but most of all they were engaging and fun!

Grafton Public School

I appreciated the of activities which made students engage with peers that they may not otherwise interact with. Students enjoyed the activities and understood key messages. Great presenters.

Kinross Wolaroi School

Really happy with the facilitators. They were engaging and worked really well the students. They explained the activities clearly and how students may use them in their own sessions.

Canterbury Girls High School

The activities employed and the rationale behind them, rapport with the students, ability to engage the students in the activities, the mixture of “theory” and “practice”

Hunter Valley Grammar

We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Burn Bright over a number of years with both our Junior and Senior prefects and will continue to do so

Blakehurst High School

The presenters did a fabulous job of keeping the girls engaged in the session. They related so well to the students in delivering their message

Toorak College

A wonderful day engaging all students in different elements of leadership.

Muswellbrook Public School

Amazing! It was evident the students were engaged and benefited from the workshop today. Thank you so much!

Windsor High School

As each year, excellent. Engaging, competent and …. fun!

Trinity Grammar School

FANTASTIC! I have only ever seen the Year 9 program, so it was great to be involved with the Year 7. Thank you!

Redlands

Can’t speak highly enough of this company

Charles Sturt University

Loved it – so spot on for this year group

Barker College

Excellent – thank you for sharing this experience with us.

St Francis Xavier College

Excellent as usual. Feedback from kids at the breaks was very positive. Thanks for coming out to Orange again.

Kinross Wolaroi School

The personal stories were really significant for the girls, the range of activities was great, and both engaged the students really well.

Columba College NZ

All children were involved and motivated for the entire length of the program.

Burraneer Bay Public School

Fabulous.. this is the first time I have experienced it and I found if a valuable experience for the students. The varied nature of the activities was excellent. It was inclusive and supportive as well as challenging some of those kids who find it hard to step outside their comfort zone.

Lane Cove West Public School

The Burn Bright staff were fantastic – enthusiastic, positive and they were great at getting the girls involved.

Wenona School

Fantastic. The facilitators were fantastic. The feedback from students and staff was overwhelmingly positive.

Korowa Anglican Girls School

The team were able to set a really positive and encouraging environment that allowed the group to be open and vulnerable.

Rouse Hill Anglican College

We loved the continual change and variety of activities. The openness of the presenters with their own experience.

Ravenswood School for Girls

Great experience, professional, smoothly run workshop. Experienced facilitators knew what they were doing, worked together well as a team and were focussed, full of energy and at all times in control of the group.

Trinity Grammar School

I found working with the Team at Burn Bright to be organised, efficient, helpful, caring, professional and worked hard to ensure the activities and content was very relevant to the needs of the year group. Thank You 🙂

Ravenswood School For Girls

It was an excellent day to see the students return full of enthusiasm as they were engaged in each activity.

St Spyridon College

Just outstanding – I am always in awe of how the facilitators weave magic with students of all ages and stages.

Fahan School

The program provided an excellent mix of fun activities with time to explore their emotions. The students were highly engaged and felt safe to share their emotions.

Pacific Hills Christian School

Really great. Kids and teachers all loved it

Lane Cove West Public School

The students loved Burn Bright and so did the teachers. It’s always such a valuable experience and helps us to continue teaching and building on key life skills for/with our students.

Australian Christian college – Marsden Park

Never disappointed

St Mary’s Cathedral College

Delivery of sessions was perfect for the target group. Great facilitators.

Charles Sturt University

Very positive. Excellent feedback from students and parents. Would definitely have the programme again.

St Hildas NZ

Very very valuable. Perfectly reinforced the character values we focus on here. I had a lot of fun and could see the girls did too. I find the debriefs so valuable and you both managed the girls sensitively and carefully – made it look easy and natural. Great vibe.

Frensham

Very positive I would highly recommend and love to seem you at SCEGGS again.

SCEGGS Darlinghurst

The team were able to set a really positive and encouraging environment that allowed the group to be open and vulnerable.

Rouse Hill Anglican College

I loved the collaborative aspect of the learning, listening to each other’s opinion with respect. I also the final activity looking at the Road Map ahead was an appropriate way to finish the day.

Frensham

Absolutely amazing as always, great friendly facilitators. Highly recommend.

Oakhill Drive Public School

The activities were fantastic for student engagement. All students seemed to have taken something away from the day and enjoyed the fun, interactive nature of the program.

Korowa Anglican Girls School

The-students squealing during the activities meant they were involved and happy . Lots of interaction between students

St Spyridon College

The students were so engaged in the whole day and every activity.

Carnegie Primary School

Amazing, great to be a part of, enjoyed it as a teacher watching the students interact with each other

Newtown High School of the Performing Arts

Enjoyed the camaraderie and the ease with which the facilitators kept the students engaged all day.

Blakehurst High School

What a fabulous day we enjoyed with Year 9. This was an incredibly empowering day for our whole cohort. I most enjoyed watching the team work exercises (marshmallow tower, back to draw) but also the moments of quiet reflection (letter writing) and seeing the students so invested in these moment. I loved the opportunities students had to talk to new people.

Redlands

The students have lots of fun learning through hands on experiences. The attention to detail by the facilitators is incredible.

Westlawn Public School

The strong messages given which supported my (Year 7 Coordinator) messages about importance of inclusion, kindness etc. I particularly liked the sessions before recess and after lunch which had the girls up frequently moving around and particapating actively in activities.

SCEGGS Darlinghurst

The key points made around friendships were excellent, particularly in terms of connectedness. It was brilliant that there was constant reference to ‘us’ ‘we are a team together’ etc – it really gave students a solid perspective of moving forward as a cohort. As well, it was great to have students up with new activities constantly – this was especially important for our boys

Redlands

Fantastic! Students were positive, engaged and interested

Woonona High School

Fantastic, their were great messages, games and fun. Students of all abilities were able to participate.

Singleton Public School

Great atmosphere. Facilitators made excellent connections with the students. They were engaging and mixed up talk and activities which was great.

Where There’s a Will

I was very pleased by the whole process of engaging Burn Bright- from the initial emails through the end; communication was easy, nothing was too much trouble, and the program on the day exceeded my expectations- if only we had more time! Burn Bright is a wonderful organisation, the best student leadership program I have ever been a part of.

St Michael’s Grammar School

Loved how engaging the program was. All the students were excited and learning. Loved how it linked very well with the SRC and contained practical steps to move forward

Erskine Park High School

Once again an excellent program that is relevant and tailored towards the students so well.

St Mary’s Cathedral College

Outstanding. Student engagement and interaction – particularly the Yr 10’s!

Loreto College – SA

The enthusiasm and level of engagement by the facilitators is always excellent. The students enjoy the interaction with others and the energisers. Sarah always checks in to see if the program is going as imagined and is flexible when needed.

Mount St Joseph Milperra

This is such a worth while experience for Year 9 and I highly recommend Year 9 undertaking the ‘Spark’ and ‘Ignite’ sessions in Term 4

Redlands

The way it is interactive is extremely valuable. Also the way the program taught students through activities how to lead. Rather than lecturing this method is more effective.

Sirius College

Very positive. We particularly appreciate your willingness to have a conversation about what the days might look like, or particular culture and leadership model, and the time to include some of our own content and activities.

Redlands

CHAT TO US ABOUT PARTNERING WITH BURN BRIGHT IN YOUR SCHOOL

LET'S CHAT

We are always up for a good chat and would love to hear what’s going on in your world and how we can help.

Just fill out the form here in 3 easy steps, and one of our team will be in touch.

3 EASY STEPS

I found Burn Bright in the midst of studying civil engineering at the University of Wollongong, just as I wanted a richer, deeper, more full experience of life.

Through Burn Bright, I have met many students and volunteers who are all seeking to find their place in the world. When we come together at NLC or SLC, no matter our age, we begin on the same page, of wanting to do good for ourselves, our community, and the world. And then we are thrown into a program that brings us closer to each other, our purpose, and how to bring forth this impact. It’s like having your cake and eating it too.

Volunteering with Burn Bright stoked a fire in me – It helped me feel comfortable in myself and made me realise life isn’t just about work, study, or productivity, but our relationships and how we connect with others along the way.

I have learned skills in videography, worked for a top-tier corporation in marketing, and most recently published a book called “18 and lost? So were we” 

I have a passion for storytelling, bring loads of energy wherever I go, and am dedicated to helping young people move through the initiation of leaving high school and going into the ‘real world’. 

The best part for me is being able to stay connected to the latest generation growing through high school. To see them grow, expand and express more of themselves is like watching an artwork paint itself. It’s magic.

I am Simon Thurston, a Kiwi based in Perth. I work as an Instructional Designer and in my spare time I enjoy reading, running, and board games.

Since my initial connection to Burn Bright I have been onboard with their mission. Burn Bright’s focus on building the capabilities enables students of all ages to see how they can shape their world through connections with others and their own self discovery.

Seeing others grow, learn, and open up is what keeps me coming back, to help others realise their potential and how they can influence their future and their community is a definite highlight. It’s infectious, the atmosphere when they run a program or camp is welcoming, exciting, emotional, and rewarding all in one.

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5 ACTIVITIES TO BRING ENERGY INTO YOUR ONLINE CLASSROOM

Hi, friends! I’m Kelsie, a psychologist from central QLD working in private practice. I got involved with Burn Bright officially in 2016, but the journey started long before that. I attended the National Leadership Camp (now hosted annually by Burn Bright) in 2009. It had such a profound impact on me that I returned as a mentor and volunteer. Those connections ultimately lead me to joining the Burn Bright team as an adult.

When I transitioned from facilitating with the Burn Bright team to working as a psychologist, I was so grateful for an incredible foundation of skills (particularly facilitation, communication and interpersonal skills) along with a strong grounding in positive psychology that Burn Bright integrates into their ethos.

I can’t imagine my life without volunteering for Burn Bright. I have met some of my dearest friends through the Burn Bright crew. I’ve found that volunteering for BB is rewarding, humbling, and often brings as much personal growth for the volunteer as it does for the young person.

From a professional perspective, I love that Burn Bright programs/camps support the adolescent individuation process by providing an exciting and supportive environment for teens to explore their own sense of self, personality, identify and values alongside other young people.

Imagine this POV: you’re back at school wanting to figure everything out and fit in – and you find
yourself in a room with amazing music that uplifts you and hooks you in. You meet the team of
dynamic, interesting, caring facilitators whose own friendships inspire you. Their facilitation skills bring about amazing light-bulb moments and lessons that light a fire inside you… It makes me want to feel that for myself again. The next best thing, for me, is volunteering for the team who passes that on to other young people.

My start at Burn Bright is one of the best cases of one door closing and another door opening. After losing my job at a local pub while on uni holidays, I started looking for new opportunities that were different and decided to volunteer. Searching for opportunities, I found working bees, community driving and nursing home visits, but the chance to become a National Leadership Camp intern stood out. Over nearly six months, I worked with the team to pull off Burn Bright’s first National Leadership Camp, and had an absolute blast in the process. After camp, I started working for Burn Bright while studying, doing anything and everything — data analysis, hiring strategy and even picking up furniture.

Finishing up working for Burn Bright in 2019, I am still actively involved with the Burn Bright volunteer community. I’ve found that the emphasis placed on investing in your relationships, understanding your values and making an impact allow you to be accepted for you. This has given me the tools needed to make the difficult decisions that life will inevitably throw at you. Besides all that, I’ve had a ton of fun and formed life-long friendships with people I may have never crossed paths with otherwise. “Get involved — you’ll change your life for the better and make life‑long friends in the process”.

I am a health science student from Perth wanting to get into the mental health realm of occupational therapy. In the meantime, I work as a barista and supervisor at a beachside café. In my spare time, I love to play netball, be around my friends and I have just gotten into crocheting. I went to Perth College where I was lucky enough to go to the first Perth College Leadership Camp in 2018 as a student and absolutely loved it. What really drew me in was the atmosphere that was created, the open conversations, and the lasting relationships formed.

Since then I have been a mentor for the Perth College Leadership Camp in 2019, 2020, and 2021 and had the opportunity to go to the National Leadership Camp in 2019. When Burn Bright comes to Perth I also love helping out at their programs as much as I can.

Volunteering for Burn Bright has given me so much that I could never have imagined. I have learned so much about myself and I have so much more confidence in myself and my abilities that I know I wouldn’t have had if I wasn’t exposed to the amazing opportunities volunteering for Burn Bright has given me. Before being involved I would never have seen myself being a mentor, role model, and facilitator to students, but now I can confidently say that I am, and I have made an impact on others that I am proud of. I have also made so many meaningful connections to so many amazing people from all around Australia through Burn Bright. I get asked quite a bit why I keep coming back to my old school to volunteer and it’s simply because I was given this amazing opportunity to be a part of the Burn Bright programs and if I can help facilitate that experience to someone else then why wouldn’t I?

I was born in Perth and moved to Sydney in my early 20’s to continue work as a youth worker and surfboard maker. This was followed by 30 years working in IT as a computer programmer.

Following retirement in 2016 I searched for an organisation that was aligned with my values of servant leadership and service, especially in the youth space. This search led to Burn Bright where I am now volunteering one day a week and mentoring at the National Leadership Camp. Volunteering with Burn Bright gives me a great deal of hope and confidence in the next generation of leaders. It is a pleasure to be a part of the Burn Bright family.

I have been married to Denise for 41 years and we both very much feel part of the Burn Bright team.

When not at Burn Bright you may find me running along Manly beach, riding my mountain bike or indulging in my passion for photography.

ENQUIRE ABOUT A PROGRAM

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Hi! I’m Rosie, a 20-something full-time public servant, part-time Tassie tourism advocate.

I am passionate about seeing young people succeed, and there’s nothing I enjoy more than watching them become the next generation of change-makers.

I have been a champion of the ethos and work of Burn Bright since its inception in 2014, and consider them to be the leading experts in their field. By delivering impactful leadership and wellbeing programs to students across Australia, they offer the knowledge, skills and engagement to invoke lasting positive change in school communities.

The Burn Bright team are dedicated, inclusive and values-driven, which is why I love working with them.

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5 MESSAGES TO EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEAD