Marking three years of Pink Shirt Day at Windley School with ice cream

For the third year running, Porirua Whānau Centre will bring free ice cream and t-shirts to every student and teacher at Windley School on Pink Shirt Day.

Ko Wai Au was developed to address bullying, and Windley School has booked the programme every year since it launched in 2015 – through two principals and counting.

The Pink Shirt Day celebrations are part of a relationship that’s now more than a decade old.

Since then, students have been learning what it means to be an upstander: someone who steps in when they see someone being treated badly, rather than walking away.

Windley teacher Jay Fisher says the difference is showing up on the playground.

“We’ve had reports of upstanders a lot. It’s a combination of what us teachers teach and what Ko Wai Au does in the classroom.”

The programme gives tamariki practical tools, like Water and Rock, staying calm and flexible when a situation calls for it (water), and firm and clear when it doesn’t (rock).

Fisher says the programme helps build resilience and offers them tools to resolve conflicts.

“This boosts their confidence and self-esteem, making them more capable both in and outside the classroom.”

He’s also noticed quieter changes.

“More students who used to avoid conflicts are now stepping up as upstanders, helping resolve disagreements both in the classroom and during playground issues. They’re also learning more about what they're capable of and gaining a deeper understanding of Te Ao Māori.”

Whānau Centre Programmes Manager TJ Fermanis says Pink Shirt Day gives the kaupapa a chance to celebrate.

“The ice cream is a small thing, but it’s a chance to say ‘we see you, and what you’re doing matters’. Ko Wai Au is about building awareness and skills so tamariki aren’t just being told to be kind. They’re learning how.”