For the third year running, Porirua Whānau Centre is marking Pink Shirt Day at Windley School by giving every student and teacher a free ice cream and pink T-shirt.
The celebration reflects a partnership stretching back more than a decade between the school and the Whānau Centre’s Ko Wai Au programme, which was developed to address bullying and build resilience among tamariki.
Windley School has booked the programme every year since it launched in 2015, through two principals and counting.
Since then, students have been learning what it means to be an “upstander”, someone who steps in when they see another person being treated badly instead of walking away.
Windley School teacher Jay Fisher said the impact was becoming increasingly visible in the playground.
“We’ve had reports of upstanders a lot,” Fisher said.
“It’s a combination of what us teachers teach and what Ko Wai Au does in the classroom.”
The programme gives students practical tools to manage conflict, including the concepts of “Water and Rock”, staying calm and flexible when a situation calls for it, like water, and firm and clear when needed, like rock.
Fisher said the programme was helping students build resilience and confidence.
“This boosts their confidence and self-esteem, making them more capable both in and outside the classroom,” he said.
He said the changes were sometimes subtle but meaningful.
“More students who used to avoid conflicts are now stepping up as upstanders, helping resolve disagreements both in the classroom and during playground issues.
“They’re also learning more about what they’re capable of and gaining a deeper understanding of Te Ao Māori.”
Porirua Whānau Centre Programmes Manager TJ Fermanis said Pink Shirt Day was a chance to celebrate the kaupapa behind the programme.
“The ice cream is a small thing, but it’s a chance to say, ‘we see you, and what you’re doing matters’,” Fermanis said.
“Ko Wai Au is about building awareness and skills so tamariki aren’t just being told to be kind. They’re learning how.”
