My great passion in life is helping tweens and teens flourish at school.
But what does that mean exactly?
It means I want them to discover the joy of great friendships by being able to identify a good friend and back away from the toxic ones. It means I want them to feel confident – confident about their ideas, their abilities, their gut instinct and their appearance. And most of all I want them to know that despite what the world is trying to tell them - they are enough, just as they are.
That’s why every year I speak to thousands of kids – about friendship and resilience and screwing up and bouncing back and life online and the power of kindness - in primary schools and high schools around Australia.
I think there’s never been a harder time to be a teenager.
That's why I'm here...
To help point them towards their true north …
Topics
Years 5-12 | 45-60 mins
What does a good friendship look and feel like? Are your friends propelling you forward or holding you back? And do they cheer when you win? In this presentation I talk about the importance of finding your tribe – those people in life who are authentic friends. I also discuss the importance of teaching yourself to be resilient, learning to listen to your gut instinct, the power of your high school legacy and the value in giving back to the community.
Years 6-9 | 45-60 mins
Is whether or not you enjoy high school based on luck? Or can you actively make choices and decisions which will greatly improve your chances of having a positive experience? In this talk, I go through the five things students can do to have a more positive experience in high school. From choosing supportive friends and avoiding drama cyclones to allowing yourself to be ‘seen’ … this talk is especially useful for students in years 6 and 7.
Years 7-12 | 45-60 mins
The quality of your online experience is hugely dependent on your friends. I talk about the importance of finding your tribe and the importance of nurturing our real-life, in-person friendships. I go through the positives and negatives of online friendships, why it’s a good idea to wait until you’re 13 to open a social media account and why you need to think about what your personal values are before you hit send. I also discuss the importance of privacy settings, naked selfies and the important concept of consent.
EVENING/WEEKEND PRESENTATIONS
Before You Hit Send
a Social Media SOS for teens + parents 60 minutes
What age should children be given a social media account? And how do they have a more positive experience online? This unique and timely talk presents an invaluable opportunity for parents and students to open up the lines of communication and arm themselves with the knowledge required to steer a safe and enjoyable passage through the murky waters of social media.
The 5 Secrets to High School
for parents + students 45-60 mins
Is whether or not you enjoy high school based on luck? Or can you actively make choices and decisions which will greatly improve your chances of having a positive experience? In this talk, I go through the five things students can do to have a more positive experience in high school. From choosing supportive friends and avoiding drama cyclones to allowing yourself to be ‘seen’ and understanding the difference between bullies and jerks … this talk is especially useful for students in years 6 and 7.
Schools and organisations I’ve worked with
Thanks Rebecca for such an informative, down-to-earth and 'smart' presentation last night. Not only did I get a lot out of it (and made many mental notes to follow-up resources), but my 10-year-old daughter came home saying it really made her think hard about being online. Your humorous, self-deprecating stories about your own life and school years really resonated with her also - which made the messages stick! So - thank you from both of us! 🙂
Carly
Parent
I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you so much for the stimulating, entertaining and most of all heart-felt presentation at last night.
My boys need to hear from quality women like yourself to help them shape a better future for themselves and those they interact with. Having lost their mum a few years back I desire to augment my guidance with exceptional female insight to give them the balanced approach they need to be the best human beings they can.
Your talk hit the mark spot on and has already fuelled some great discussion on the way home last night.
David
Parent
I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you so much for the stimulating, entertaining and most of all heart-felt presentation at last night.
My boys need to hear from quality women like yourself to help them shape a better future for themselves and those they interact with. Having lost their mum a few years back I desire to augment my guidance with exceptional female insight to give them the balanced approach they need to be the best human beings they can.
Your talk hit the mark spot on and has already fuelled some great discussion on the way home last night.
Sandra Mannion
Curriculum Leader: Library & Information Services Mt St Michael’s College, Ashgrove
Bec presented to over 220 of QLD’s high-achieving Year 11 students as part of the 2017 UQ Young Scholars Program. Her keynote presentation was an absolute standout for our students, and she received an almost perfect score on our student satisfaction survey! She was hilarious, down-to-earth and a brilliant presenter – the perfect recipe for delivering an inspirational and relatable message to all young adults. I could not recommend Bec more highly!
Monique Pountney
UQ Young Scholars Program Coordinator.
Request Bec
Bec speaks for Schools, Community Groups and Business' about friendship, resilience, screwing up and bouncing back, life online and the power of kindness.
Contact Bec here about working with your group.
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