How The Stand-Up Project Aligns with MACS' Vision for Engagement
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) is the governing body responsible for nearly 300 Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne. MACS provides strategic direction, policy leadership, and support to ensure that Catholic schools deliver high-quality, inclusive education grounded in faith, academic excellence, and student wellbeing. Guided by a strong commitment to social justice, MACS works in partnership with families and communities to help all students flourish, spiritually, emotionally, and academically. Its Vision for Engagement is part of a broader strategy to build learning environments where every student feels safe, supported and inspired to reach their full potential.
How The Stand-Up Project Aligns with MACS' Vision for Engagement
Creating safe, inclusive schools starts with student voice. As Victorian schools respond to ongoing challenges around behaviour, wellbeing, and attendance, The Stand-Up Project offers a student-led, scalable approach that aligns strongly with the MACS Vision for Flourishing Learners.
MACS calls for calm, respectful, and inclusive learning environments grounded in evidence-based practice. The Stand-Up Project contributes to this mission by providing a whole-school anti-bullying training for students, student leadership training, and upstander training that embeds values like dignity, equity, and care into daily school life.
A Shared Foundation: Inclusion, Equity, and Student Flourishing
MACS envisions every student as capable of excellence, not just academically, but socially, emotionally, and spiritually. This aligns with The Stand-Up Project’s model as a student voice, agency and leadership program, equipping young people to shape school culture through kindness, courage, and connection.
The Vision for Engagement calls for schools to explicitly teach behavioural expectations and create shared routines. That’s exactly what The Stand-Up Project does.
Students are taught the “4Ds of Upstanding”: Direct, Distract, Delegate, and Delay, as practical responses to bullying, mean on purpose, or friendship fires. These strategies are delivered in language students understand, using real-life examples, scenario discussions, and values-based reflection.
“I didn’t realise standing up could be as simple as checking in with someone afterwards. I always thought it meant jumping in to stop a fight.”
– Year 7 student, SUP session reflection
Fostering Belonging and Connection
Belonging is central to both student engagement and wellbeing. MACS schools are called to foster inclusive communities, and The Stand-Up Project delivers this by giving students a meaningful role in shaping the culture of their school.
Through guided discussions, reflection tasks, and group projects, SUP Leaders explore identity, values, and their vision for the school community. This peer-led approach ensures all voices, especially those of quieter or marginalised students, are heard and valued.
Supporting Wellbeing and Mental Health
MACS encourages schools to proactively support student wellbeing through early intervention, emotional literacy, and positive relationships. The Stand-Up Project integrates these elements by:
- Addressing the impacts of bullying, mean on purpose, and friendship fires
- Teaching emotional regulation and empathy through interactive activities
- Encouraging help-seeking and peer support
Increasing Motivation and Attendance through Leadership
When students feel safe, seen, and empowered, they are more likely to attend and engage. The Vision for Engagement highlights this link, and The Stand-Up Project supports it by offering opportunities for visibility, responsibility, and contribution.
SUP Leaders don’t just participate; they lead projects, speak at assemblies, create resources, and act as mentors. This strengthens motivation, gives students ownership over their environment, and fosters commitment to school.
See how SUP empowers students to attend school and lead others, here.
Whole-School Approach and Tiered Support
MACS promotes a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) where schools offer universal, targeted, and individualised strategies. The Stand-Up Project fits directly into this framework:
Tier 1: Whole-cohort workshops delivering anti-bullying training for students
Tier 2: Selected students receive enhanced student leadership training
Tier 3: Facilitators work with school staff to support students needing additional care or reintegration
SUP is not a one-off presentation; it’s a partnership model that embeds prevention and leadership into the school calendar.
A Practical Tool for Vision Implementation
The Vision for Engagement sets high expectations for MACS schools but recognises that support is needed for successful implementation. The Stand-Up Project delivers this through:
- Ready-to-run sessions for students, teachers and families
- Student planning templates and resource packs
- Teacher debrief guides and follow-up activities
- End-of-year celebration and certificate events
By connecting vision to action, SUP helps schools live out their values, not just name them.
The Stand-Up Project is more than an anti-bullying program, it’s a values-aligned, student-led approach to school culture that complements the MACS 2030 strategy.
If your school is ready to bring the Vision for life engagement, we’d love to support you.
Let’s build a culture of courage, kindness, and inclusion — together.
