BRINGING REAL-WORLD SAFETY & DISABILITY INCLUSION TO VCE VM STUDENTS
For many Year 11 and 12 students, “Workplace Safety” feels like a series of posters and checklists and disability is an “unknown world”, where they see the wheelchair but they don’t understand the daily reality or the person behind it.
But for James Wood (known to many as “Woody the Safety Bloke”), it’s a life-changing reality.
As Victorian schools navigate the VCE Vocational Major (VM), finding resources that resonate with students’ lived experiences is vital. That is why James Wood’s school presentations and his book, It Hurts- 12 Reasons NOT to Get Hurt at Work, have become essential tools for applied learning.
Real Stories, Real Choices, Real Learning
James’ story isn’t about statistics; it’s about a single choice he made as a young diesel mechanic that resulted in a life in a wheelchair. His stand-alone presentations for Victorian students focus on:
- The Power of Choices: How one “quick” shortcut can change everything
- Workplace Safety: That safety rules are not a burden but a way of life
- Disability Inclusion: A raw, honest look at living with a disability – the frustrations, the triumphs and the things people are often too afraid to ask
Project-Based Learning
The It Hurts! Program is for teachers looking for a deeper dive, where James has partnered with VALA (Vocational and Applied Learning Association) to create the It Hurts! Program. This comprehensive resource is designed specifically for VCE VM, helping teachers deliver integrated, project-based work.
Using the book It Hurts! 12 Reasons Not to Get Hurt at Work as a core text, students work to design and implement their own project. This program explicitly addresses VCE VM outcomes in:
- Personal Development Skills
- Work Related Skills
- Literacy & Numeracy
Whether you are looking for a powerful one-off guest speaker to spark a conversation or a full semester’s worth of applied learning resources, James Wood provides the authentic voice students actually listen to.
Book a presentation or learn more about the VALA resources.
