student programs

body image & our relationship with food.

Best suited for years 7 and 8, this two part session introduces students to the reasons they might feel insecure in their body and provides practical tools to build body appreciation. They are also taught about the importance of eating enough and how they can use food to give them the energy they need to learn and grow. 

level Two

level one

mental health & self worth

Building on body appreciation, students are taught more broadly about mental health and its impact on our physical health and wellbeing. Students learn evidence-based strategies to support them with their mental health from a nutrition and lifestyle perspective as well as practical skills to navigate that voice in their head that tells them they’re not enough.

level 3

building sustainable health habits

When students reach senior school, some of them become so focussed on their future that they forget to tune into their bodies need to eat and rest. This session encourages them to get back in touch with their body and supports them to make choices to take care of their physical and mental health in their final years of school. 

year 6

laying the foundations

This two part session is designed to initiate the body image conversation and guide students toward practicing body appreciation as they approach their teen years.

body bop program ~

body bop program ~

Body Bop is a 6-week in person program for students showing early signs of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. In it we cover body neutrality, intuitive eating, gentle nutrition, our values, the importance of seeking support and body celebration.

did you know?

In 2024 95% of our students felt inspired to ADD new foods to their diet following our sessions 

A word from our teachers and students

  • Gel’s use of positive, inclusive language promotes a healthy food and body culture, teaching students to care for their bodies and engage in mindful, non-judgmental discussions about food and body image. Gel’s approach extends to staff, promoting positive language to strengthen respectful relationships across the school community. She also provides practical tools for preparing simple snacks and building independence—areas often overlooked in the curriculum and existing wellbeing programs.”

    - Jennifer Trinh, Wellbeing Coordinator

  • Gel throughout her programs, includes a variety of activities that enable students to have open discussions and think more deeply than what is explicitly written within the curriculum. Furthermore, the use of practical activities gives students opportunities to explore their learnings and understanding of what their own experiences with the topics might be as well as providing tools that students can use outside of the presentations and programs to enhance their own relationships with food and body image.

    – Nicholas Perri, Penola

  • “You don’t need to stop eating foods, it is just important what you incorporate and add into your diet”

    – Year 10 student, CCCC

  • “Nutrition is not a one size fits all, not everyone would be healthy having the same diet.”

    – Year 10 student, CCCC

  • “I really enjoyed the information on nutrition as I struggle to find things to put in my lunches and what to have for breakfast.”

    – Year 9/10 St Aloysius College

  • “That struggling with your body image is a common issue that many people face and that there are ways to deal with it”

    – Year 9/10 St Aloysius College

  • “It’s about what you add to your diet, not take away”

    – Year 9/10 St Aloysius College

  • “I liked how we learnt about how important daily nutrition is and how easy it is to incorporate into our daily meals”

    – Year 9/10 St Aloysius College

  • “I learnt about hunger cues and valuing my body and what it’s saying”

    – Year 9/10 St Aloysius College

  • “That it shouldn’t be about restricting the foods we love but adding to those foods”

    – Year 9/10 St Aloysius College

  • “I learnt that being healthy is so many more things than just eating the right foods”

    – Year 9/10 St Aloysius College

  • “Eating is normal, and we should not be taking drastic measures to maintain an ideal body that may cause health risks”

    – Year 9/10 St Aloysius College