CHAT Program Builds Cultural Understanding and Connection

Written by Mrs Anne Zugan (Head of Faculty: Religion and Values Education)

10 March 2026

 

Now in its second year at Aitken College, the CHAT Program—Cultural Hearing, Asking and Telling—continues to offer students a meaningful and engaging way to explore identity, culture, and belief. Developed through the support of materials from Scripture Union, CHAT aligns strongly with the Victorian Curriculum focus on Intercultural Capability and Personal & Social Capability. It provides students with opportunities to build empathy, practise respectful communication, and develop a stronger understanding of themselves and others.

CHAT is intentionally hands-on and interactive, utilising games, conversation activities, and guided reflections to help students explore culture in practical and relatable ways. Rather than simply learning about cultural differences from a distance, students participate in experiences that invite curiosity, collaboration, and genuine connection. Through these activities, students begin to appreciate the many layers that make up culture—including traditions, beliefs, experiences, and personal histories.

An important part of the CHAT process is that it creates a safe space for students to explore both their own beliefs and the beliefs of others. This learning is essential as students grow in self?awareness and develop skills needed to engage respectfully in a diverse community. Whether students share stories from their families or learn from the perspectives of their peers, CHAT helps them recognise that every person carries a unique and valuable story.

While we continue to work in partnership with Scripture Union, their primary role is to support our staff by providing training and guidance. This enables our own teachers to confidently deliver the 8?week CHAT Program within a familiar and caring classroom environment. This approach keeps CHAT closely aligned with our College values and responsive to the needs of our students. Each session is further supported by our College Chaplain, Reverend Blakemore, whose pastoral presence helps create a safe, encouraging, and respectful space for students to share and reflect.

Each week, students are also given time to journal and reflect on their experiences. This reflection is a vital part of the program, helping students to process what they have noticed, how they have felt, and what new understandings are emerging. Journaling encourages students to slow down, think deeply, and track their growth over the eight weeks.

We hope that the CHAT Program will continue to encourage students to grow in confidence as they express their ideas, listen with intention, and engage thoughtfully with perspectives different from their own. Through this experience, our aim is that students deepen their empathy, strengthen their relationships, and develop an increasing sense of belonging within their classrooms and the wider college community.

Aitken College offers the CHAT Program as an important part of our Religion and Values Program, supporting the development of knowledgeable, respectful, and compassionate young people. By providing structured opportunities for students to hear, ask, tell, and reflect, CHAT seeks to equip them with the interpersonal and intercultural skills that will serve them well beyond their school years—skills that help them participate with maturity and understanding in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.