Learning for Life Programme (LLP)

Community and Youth Leadership

GESS LLP in Community and Youth Leadership is aimed at empowering our students to be principled leaders and active citizens. Anchored on the school values of Integrity, Compassion, Resilience, Discipline and Respect, Gessians hone their leadership skills to be of service to the school and community. It is our hope that through LLP, Gessians will embrace an attitude of volunteerism to make a difference to the people around them.

Objectives of LLP

1. To develop leadership skills in students anchored on The Leadership Challenge Model of Posner & Kouzes.

2. To leverage on the GESS Student Leadership, GESS values-in-action Programme (ViA) and skills acquired through GESS Life Camps to reach out to the school and community to serve diverse groups ranging from the young to the elderly and meet other needs such as care for the environment.

Three Levers of Learning For Life Programme

Student Outcomes

Students should have acquired the following in their 4 to 5 years of LLP journey in GESS:

• Recognise that as a caring and responsible citizen, Gessians are empowered to initiate and plan activities and programmes to address issues that are within their sphere of influence.

• The five elements of the Leadership Challenge Model (by Posner & Kouzes)

• The ability to plan, implement and review ViA projects that impact the school and the community.

Student Leadership

The Leadership Model & Process

The school adopts Kouzes and Posner ‘The Leadership Challenge’ (TLC) model. We believe that TLC effectively equips our students to:

We believe in giving every Gessian leadership opportunities in their 4/5 years of Secondary School life. Leadership opportunities are given through cohort camps, class committees and formal leadership appointments as Prefects, CCA leaders, Class Chairpersons, Sports Leaders and Peer Support Leaders to cater to their developmental needs and varied abilities. At Lower Secondary level, all students will go through TLC workshops to equip them with leadership skills. At Upper Secondary level, all Secondary 3 students will embark on the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Silver as part of their leadership journey.

GESS Life Camps

GESS Life Camps aim to strengthen and further develop Gessians’ life and leadership skills. As an integral part of the camp, students are equipped with effective strategies and skills to enhance self-management, develop resilience and improve teamwork, communication and collaboration. GESS Life Camp also develops students to be confident and effective leaders who positively impact their community.

Values-in-Action Programme (ViA)

GESS Values-in-Action (ViA) programme aims to empower Gessians to be active contributors to the school and community. Gessians go through a structured and developmental ViA programme to ensure progressive, coherent and sustainable learning. The programme also provides Gessians with the opportunity to understand school and community needs and lead in making a positive change to them. Teachers act as facilitators and mentors to support students involved in these ViA activities.

Nomination, Assessment & Review

Teachers nominate students for the leadership roles after observing them to have leadership potential and interest. In addition to this, students are also given the autonomy to do self or peer nomination if they or their friends are interested or have exhibited leadership potential to take up the different leadership roles.

Assessment of Student leadership competencies is done for tier 3 students where teachers have review sessions with individual student leaders. For all other tiers, student reflections and perception surveys are used as platforms to assess student leadership competencies.

Annual Review of LLP is done at the end of the academic year as part of the overall review of school plans for the year.