Scones & Stories Outcomes:
Stage 5

Outcome: PH5-RRL-01: Evaluates and applies strategies for promoting and maintaining safe and respectful relationships in a range of contexts. 

Students:

• demonstrate empathy and respect when interacting with others 
• consider perspectives and experiences different from their own 
• apply active listening and effective communication strategies 
• adapt communication to suit different people and contexts 
• recognise the importance of dignity, inclusion and respect 

How this is addressed in Scones & Stories 

Students prepare for and participate in meaningful conversations with older Australians, applying active listening, empathy, appropriate questioning and respectful communication. Students need to adapt their communication to an intergenerational context and consider how their behaviour can help another person feel heard, respected, included and valued. Following the experience, students can reflect on which communication strategies were most effective in establishing a genuine connection with the resident. 

Outcome: PH5-IBC-01: Analyses how identity and a sense of belonging contribute to the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. 

Students:

• analyse the relationship between social connection, belonging and wellbeing 
• examine how inclusion and exclusion can influence wellbeing 
• consider how life transitions may affect connection and belonging 
• explore how community participation can strengthen social connection 
• recognise how contributing to others can strengthen their own sense of purpose and belonging 

How this is addressed in Scones & Stories 

Students explore the importance of belonging and social connection across different stages of life. They consider how changes in circumstances as people age may influence their social connections and opportunities to participate in their community. Through their interaction with residents, students see how intergenerational relationships can create connection and a sense of belonging for both younger and older people. Students also reflect on how volunteering and contributing to another person’s wellbeing can strengthen their own sense of purpose and connection to their community. 

Outcome: PH5-SMI-01: Evaluates and adapts self-management and interpersonal skills to manage complex situations. 

Students:

• apply interpersonal skills in unfamiliar social environments 
• initiate and sustain meaningful conversations 
• demonstrate active listening and questioning skills 
• interpret and respond appropriately to social cues 
• adapt their communication according to the individual and situation 
• demonstrate confidence, patience and initiative 
• evaluate their interpersonal skills following the experience 

How this is addressed in Scones & Stories 

Interacting independently with an older person in an aged-care environment may be an unfamiliar social experience for many students. Students are required to initiate conversation, listen carefully, ask meaningful follow-up questions and adapt their communication based on the resident and the situation. This provides an authentic opportunity to apply interpersonal skills outside their usual peer group and develop greater confidence and adaptability when communicating with people from different generations. 

Outcome: HI5-SOU-01: Integrates evidence from sources to develop historical accounts, explanations and arguments about the past. 

Students:

• engage with oral histories and personal recollections as historical sources 
• gather information about people’s experiences of the past 
• identify evidence contained within personal accounts 
• compare individual experiences and perspectives 
• connect personal experiences to broader historical contexts 
• use evidence gathered through conversations to develop an understanding of the past 

How this is addressed in Scones & Stories 

Students engage directly with older Australians and use their stories, memories and lived experiences as oral-history sources. 

Students can ask residents about experiences such as:

• childhood and family life 
• schooling 
• work and careers 
• technology and communication 
• entertainment 
• transport 
• migration and cultural traditions 
• changes within their local community 
• significant events they have experienced. 

Students can then reflect on these stories and use them as evidence to develop a richer understanding of social change and everyday life in Australia’s recent past. 

Outcome: HI5-CPP-01: Accounts for different contexts and perspectives of the past. 

Students:

• investigate different perspectives and lived experiences 
• recognise that people’s experiences of the same period can differ 
• consider how family, culture, location and circumstances shape people’s experiences 
• compare different accounts of life in the past 

How this is addressed in Scones & Stories 

Students hear directly from older Australians whose experiences may be very different from their own – and different from one another. By listening to multiple residents, students recognise that history is made up of many individual stories and perspectives rather than one single account of the past. Students consider how factors such as where someone grew up, their family circumstances, culture, education and employment may have shaped their experiences.