As the school year ends, we wanted to share some of the 12 Buckets happenings from this year with you.
In late 2019, we engaged a Management Consultant to assist the team in the development of our Strategic Plan. In January, full day strategic workshops were held with the 12 Buckets Team and the Board – to identify needs and develop the plan. This work has given great clarity to all of the 12 Buckets Team and Board on the forward direction, to ensure the sustainability and growth of our wonderful program.
Larissa Muir joined the team in March 2020, as the Operations Manager and bought with her a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion which greatly assisted the Strategic Planning process. Larissa hit the ground running; working with the School Liaisons and Schools as COVID-19 restrictions began and has not slowed down since. Together with our School Liaison Officers, Larissa has been reviewing our current systems and procedures; brainstorming how to do things better; and developing and implementing improvements where needed.
As we have all experienced, COVID-19 was an unsettling and unusual time for 12 Buckets. Our face-to-face mentoring was unable to be continued as our Schools were closed and restrictions where put in place nationwide. Luckily for us our School Principal’s, welcomed us back into the schools in Week 4 Term 2, as 12 Buckets was identified as essential to the health and wellbeing of the students (as stated in the Operating Guidelines for Western Australian Public Schools). We re-commenced with each mentor having a 15 -20 minute video meeting with their student, which was facilitated by each of our School Liaison Officers. This was a great way to reconnect with their student one week prior to face-to-face mentoring. When we returned to the 12 Buckets room, and face-to-face mentoring, we requested that all mentors had completed the Department of Health COVID-19 Online Training. Also, each room had thorough cleaning procedure to follow in line with COVID-19 requirements.
We held our first Mentor Development Night of the year on the 3rd March 2020. Our facilitator for the evening was Joel Richards from Sanctum Services. Joel took us through understanding cues and bids in children. This knowledge will be used to help us learn more and potentially understand, the children we mentor better. Joel has worked with our whole 12 Buckets team both as a group and individually and we have learnt valuable lessons and skills from him.
Due to COVID-19 our second Mentor Development Night was not held until 18th August 2020. At this event Nicki Mckenzie shared a brief overview of the Strategic Plan and Larissa Muir spoke about the new Guiding Buckets Model; and ACEs and Trauma Informed Practices – which was well received by the mentors in attendance. The School Liaisons then each had a separate activity which they took the teams of mentors through. These where examples of different games or activities which mentors could use with their students. Kylie-Jo showed how to many wish/worry dolls; Tim did a scavenger hunt; Jo did an obstacle course and Mabel did a cup towers competition. As a team we really enjoy connecting with our mentors outside of the 12 Buckets rooms.
We have included here the updated Guiding Buckets Model which highlights 12 qualities we believe important for overall wellbeing; that we wish to help develop in our students through our one to one mentoring program.
Our Big Buckets program, which was interrupted due to COVID19 restrictions, resumed in Term 3. Our student’s community project for this Term was to create affirmation bookmarks as a team. The students then handed out their affirmation bookmarks at Warwick Shopping Centre. They experienced people declining their kindness as well as accepting it. The discussions that were had after as we debriefed were centered around being ok with others not accepting their offers and that it was not about them as individuals. We then continued to talk about the positive experiences and how it made us feel when we were able to impact someone’s day with small gestures. We have included your own bookmark with compliments of our Big Buckets students.
Even in this unique year of 2020 we still where able to participant in two of our main fundraising events – Central Park Plunge and Telethon Community Cinemas.
The Central Park Plunge provides the opportunity for 300 participants to abseil 220 metres from Central Park building on St George’s Terrace in Perth between Friday November 6 and Sunday November 8, 2020. The Central Park Plunge aims to raise $500,000 for the Perth Charities this year.
In 2020, we participated for only the second time and were very pleased to be one of the nine charities to be invited to participate. In 2019 we had 6 Plungers and in 2020 we grew to 12 Plungers. There are 4 descent ropes making teams of 4 participants ideal to “take the plunge”. Our 12 Plungers raised over $20 000 for us this year which we are very excited about.
Central Park Plunge gives our supporters the opportunity to abseil 52 floors down the side of the Central Park Tower and raise funds on behalf of 12 Buckets. If you are interested in getting involved for 2021 send us an email, as we are very keen to grow our Plungers to a total of 30.
Telethon Community Cinemas provides a valuable fundraising platform to seven children’s charities and we are very grateful to be one of them. Telethon Community Cinemas provide the charities with fundraising tools which include providing volunteers for the outdoor cinemas as well as selling movie and raffle tickets throughout the movie season. We are determined to make the most of every opportunity presented to us and continue to ensure 12 Buckets receives a generous amount of funding from each season.
The 2019/2020 Telethon Community Cinemas season was our second participating and unfortunately COVID19 resulted in the season ending early, which had an impact on the level of fundraising. This season we grew our number of volunteers working at each of the cinema locations and our sales of value cards, community passes and raffle tickets – all of which will ensure we maximise the support available to us. This is only achieved because of the generosity of our wonderful volunteers and supporters and hard work and dedication from the 12 Buckets team. We truly value this partnership and all that it has given to 12 Buckets and look forward to a great 2020/2021 season which has now commence across all four locations. There is more information available on our website if you would like to purchase value cards; they make a great Christmas gift – or would like information on how to volunteer.
We want to send you a heartfelt thank you for your continued support of us this year. No matter in which way you help us, without your support we would not be able to continue to provide the 12 Buckets program. We wish you and your families a very happy festive season.
Best wishes and deepest thank you from our 12 Buckets Team and The Board.