Term 3, headspace hit the ground running with the Brisbane Broncos’ Community Programs team visiting 10 schools with the ‘Beyond The Broncos’ program delivering well being sessions to years 7, 8, 9 and 10 students.

Beyond The Broncos Program is an initiative between the Brisbane Broncos and the Australian Government and provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary school students with the support they need to make the most of their education and complete their secondary studies. A dedicated team of Broncos’ Indigenous Support Staff provide one-on-one mentoring support, encouragement and motivation for students to achieve maximum school attendance, effort and behaviour and to complete Year 12.

The Beyond The Broncos team consists of retired Captain Justin Hodges and his fellow ex–Broncos stars Jharal Yow Yeh and Scott Prince and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Support Officer Merle Cashman, who provide day-to-day mentoring support and guidance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Jo Bassett, community engagement co-coordinator for headspace Nundah and Woolloongabba along with Sam Wild from the headspace Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Cultural Practice & Diversity Team have been sharing their stories and tips for keeping a healthy headspace and how to get through when there is lot going on in life. Finding your safe space, recognising how our bodies respond to stress differently, talking about the experiences that bring stress, creating a circle of support and how to weather the stress storm are talked about.

We have been visiting 10 schools across South-East Queensland including Beenleigh, Marsden, Cavendish Road, Redbank Plains, Tullawong, Sandgate, Wavell, Mitchelton, Glenala, and the St Peter Claver College.

The Beyond The Broncos program is part of the ‘Building Broncos, Building Community Foundation’, an initiative by the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Club Limited in conjunction with the Australian Sports Foundation.