Boarding students from Mazenod and St Brigid’s Colleges this term visited the Catholic Education Centre in Leederville to share their experiences of the TransitUS transition to boarding initiative. 

CEWA Leederville staff member Lee McCrae gave the visiting students and their ‘boarding buddies’ a tour of the historic Leederville buildings and site, before a morning tea where they were able to talk about their experiences with TransitUs with relevant office staff. 

The TransitUs program was piloted in 2018, with Mazenod and St Brigid’s partnering with CEWA office staff and aims to support Year 6 students from rural areas in the transition to boarding life. 

The program helps students build relationships with other boarders, improves understanding about life as a boarder, and develops key technology skills. 

Future boarders have connected regularly with project team staff Nicole Adams and Meredith Roe, boarding buddies and staff from their future college, and other students in the program to complete the four aspects of the program: 

1. Community visits – a meet and greet for future boarders and their families, boarding and TransitUs staff 
2. TransitUs Forum – a day in Perth to meet other students in the program, their allocated boarding buddy and to participate in a variety of activities aimed at smoothing the transition to boarding 
3. TransitUs Online – an 8–week, after-school program whereby TransitUs students complete a weekly challenge (based around relationship building and getting to know their boarding school) – students came together online weekly to share their challenge results 
4. Virtual Celebration – students celebrated new friendships, knowledge and skills via an online celebration, complete with party food and presents 

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