Wellbeing

Wellbeing Day  

March 1st saw Kinross Wolaroi stage its first Wellbeing Day for 2023. The incredibly successful day provided students with authentic experiences that encouraged growth, personal development, and engagement with significant contemporary wellbeing issues. Each Wellbeing Day aligns with the school's four key wellbeing themes of social and emotional learning, wellbeing, character, and respectful relationships.  

Some highlights of the day included: 

Students in Year 7 and Year 8, along with Year 10 girls had a presentation from Senior Constable Jane Heffernan, our community’s Youth Engagement Officer. Students were provided with information about how to keep themselves safe online, where to go to report inappropriate behaviour, and how to ensure they conduct themselves online in a positive manner. The session also provided an opportunity for a Q&A about key issues impacting them, their rights and responsibilities, and avenues for support. 

Year 8 spent the morning learning about how to take care of their emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. Each workshop sought to increase students' awareness, knowledge, and skills in mental health literacy, including accessing support and improving their own wellbeing.  

Year 9 boys spent the day with Jack Ellis from Goodfellas. Students were engaged in various workshops aimed at equipping the boys with the skills to connect and build strong relationships and to advocate for themselves and their peers. Jack sought to achieve this through building knowledge and skills around breaking down stereotypes, conflict management, clear communication, and consciousness reflection.  

Year 9 girls were given the same opportunity with Dannielle Miller, from Enlighten Education. Dannielle connected with the girls through incredible story telling and worked to build their self-esteem and confidence through an informative, empowering, and inspiring workshop that focused on self-esteem, confidence, and the questioning of limiting gender stereotypes.  

Year 10 and Year 11 boys spent the day with Man Cave. An incredible all-day workshop that delivered a preventative mental health and emotional intelligence program aimed at breaking down the stereotypes that prevent young men from living their life to its full potential. The day discussed the unique challenges and opportunities of masculinity in a safe space that allowed students to feel supported enough to open up and communicate freely.  

In Session 3, the Year 11 girls were asked to consider the nature of their relationships with others, as well as their personal responsibilities in ensuring they made good decisions for their safety and wellbeing. Facilitated by staff members, the girls shared experiences and discussed strategies in navigating the complexities of teenage relationships. The session was full of laughter, sage advice, and companionship, and achieved valuable wellbeing learning outcomes. 

Cadogan Country Maze hosted Year 12 for the morning. Students were encouraged to use their time to find their way through the maze, while reflecting on the start to their final year of school, connecting with friends and looking forward to their endeavours and successes.  

Our next Wellbeing Day will be held on the 30 August, during Term 3.  

Black Dog Institute Future Proofing Study 

On March 6, 75 Year 10 students participated in their third Black Dog Institute Future Proofing Study. Black Dog Institute’s Future Proofing Study is a world first study designed to predict and prevent anxiety and depression in Australian students aged 13-18. It is the largest study of its kind with over 6,300 students in over 130 schools across the country. 

The study seeks to capture data about the levels of anxiety, stress, worry, and sadness felt by students. It seeks to identify the risk and protective factors surrounding our kids as well gathering information about their mental health, wellbeing, quality of life, resilience, sleep, schooling, peer relationships, bullying, technology use, early life experiences and puberty. 

This de-identified data is gathered, collated, and used to inform policy, and create early intervention and prevention programs to build a mentally healthier world.

If you would like to find out more about the study, you can visit this website: The Future Proofing Study - Black Dog Institute

This year, Black Dog Institute has launched their Sleep Ninja App. Sleep Ninja is a free, evidence based smartphone app shown to be effective in helping young people who struggle with sleep. The app aims to teach users six strategies they can use to improve their sleep patterns and quality. The app was developed in consultation with young people, parents, psychologists, counsellors and sleep experts. 

On Monday students were provided with information about the importance of sleep, strategies on how they could improve their sleep, and taught how easy it is to change sleep patterns. If you’d like to learn more about the Sleep Ninja App, you can find information here: Sleep Ninja® - Black Dog Institute

We look forward to having the Black Dog Institute back next year for the fourth survey of our students.