Want to know what your Year 7 child or student is thinking? Then take a look at ‘My Year 7 Life‘ currently screening on the ABC and available on i-view.

Following on the heels of last year’s doco about Year 12 students, ‘My Year 7 Life’ follows sixteen Year 7 students as they prepare to leave primary school and transition to secondary school. If you’re a parent of a primary aged child this is worthwhile viewing – each episode is under 30 minutes long. The children were selected via a process that saw every primary school in the country contacted for a national ‘casting call’. The chosen sixteen were given cameras and every day contributed to a video diary for five minutes.

For parents, grandparents, educators, the resulting documentary provides a wonderful insight into the thoughts, hopes, concerns and dreams of the people actually living the school experience today. It is fantastic to hear from the students for once and not the grown ups.

Take a look, watch it with your child/ren, talk to them about it – school and society is both the same and different today – and if learning truly is lifelong, then we adults all stand to learn a little something from these vibrant young people.

Other useful links:

• Need some practical support to help a young person in your care? Visit  Reach Out
• Are you an educator wanting some more information on creating a safe school environment for young people? You will find some resources here
• Want to learn more about what young people want for their future world? The World Economic Forum has a great piece on exactly that.