A group of Year 7, Lealands High School students, recently took part in a Get Set Google Hangout with Minister of State for Children and Families, Mr Edward Timpson and Olympic Athlete, Perri Shakes-Drayton.

Mr Timpson’s responsibilities include; school sports and character and resilience building in young people and Perri Shakes-Drayton is a British track and field athlete who competes in the 400m sprint and 400m hurdles.

The students had interview questions prepared for the guests about how they have built resilience throughout their careers.

Both guests informed the students how they have had to deal with disappointment; Mr Timpson during a by-election in 2008 and Perri Shakes-Drayton during an injury in 2013 which forced her to switch events. They told the students that it is about how you react to disappointment or failure. Always look for positives and build on those to build resilience and come back stronger.

Year 7 student Justine Heal asked “Through hard times, what characteristics help you persevere through?” Perri Shakes-Drayton answered, “You need determination, passion and be strong minded”. Mr Timpson answered, “A sense of humour and perspective”.

The subject of resilience ties in with Lealands’ learning ethos of developing resilience, independence, communication and creativity.

The ‘hangouts’ are run by Get Set, the British Association and British Paralympic Association’s youth engagement programme. They will continue to run with members of Team GB and Paralympics GB between now and Rio 2016.

Click the video below, to view the hangout.