Beyond PD: Why ACHPER NSW collaborates to make learning stick
One-off incursions can be inspiring. They can also fade by recess. As a not-for-profit, ACHPER NSW exists to help teachers translate big conversations into lasting learning. That’s why we partner with organisations like Gibber—so schools get the best of both worlds: a high-impact, student-centred experience and a teacher pack that carries the learning back into classrooms, tutorials and pastoral care time.
The problem with one-offs
Respectful relationships and consent education can’t be a single lesson or one assembly. Teachers tell us the challenge isn’t only knowledge—it’s attitudes shaped by peers, social media algorithms and online influencers that normalise disrespect or confusion about consent. A single performance can spark attention, but without planned pre-learning and post-learning, the momentum often stalls. (For a broader view on why schools need sustained, whole-school approaches, see our piece on respectful relationships education and countering violence against women.)
Why “theatre + teacher pack” works
Call It Out is a 60-minute, theatre-in-education incursion for Years 9–11 from Gibber, co-created with ACHPER NSW. Students see real-world scenarios played out by professional actor-facilitators, then engage in an interactive workshop. The experience is designed to surface the tricky parts—power dynamics, peer pressure, social media norms—so students can practise language and strategies in a safe setting. Crucially, the incursion comes with ready-to-teach pre and post lessons developed by ACHPER NSW, so classroom teachers can extend the learning beyond the 60 minutes.
What Call It Out covers
- Affirmative consent and clear, respectful communication.
- Power dynamics and how to respond when there’s an imbalance.
- Gender stereotypes and the link to attitudes and behaviours.
- Rights and responsibilities, including image-sharing and being an active bystander.
- Algorithm/media literacy: how feeds, trends and influencers can shape beliefs about relationships and consent, and what to do about it in daily life.
These themes are explored in the performance and consolidated through the workshop and teacher resources that follow.
How it maps to PDHPE & Life Ready
Call It Out is aligned to NSW PDHPE (Stage 5) and the Life Ready course, with explicit links to outcomes such as investigating safe and respectful relationships, ethical behaviour, managing unequal power and understanding how consent is portrayed and communicated—including online. Outcome codes noted by Gibber include PH5-SHW-01, PH5-RRL-01 and Life Ready descriptors 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2. For teachers planning 7–10 implementation, see our syllabus support hub and updates.
What teachers receive
- Pre-learning to establish concepts and language before the performance.
- Post-learning tasks on algorithms and identity, refining consent language, power-mapping everyday scenarios and guided reflection—so students build durable skills, not just recall.
Want to extend the media/algorithm literacy piece further? We’ve captured practical classroom ideas from our Masterclass program that pair perfectly with this unit.
Thanks to our partner—and to teachers
ACHPER NSW is proud to collaborate with Gibber on a program that reflects what teachers tell us they need: engaging student experiences and practical, evidence-informed resources that make learning stick. Thank you to the PDHPE and wellbeing teams who have advised across development—you’re the reason this will work in real classrooms.