A message from the Student Wellbeing Team 2

Dear Parents and Carers,

Student Wellbeing at our College is a whole-school responsibility, shared by all staff members, with a designated Student Wellbeing and Support Team that our College Principal Ms Hazim has promoted and expanded, to increase the targeted support available to our students.

Staff at the College respect, acknowledge and very much appreciate your trust and support, as we work together to support the young people in our school community: to engage in their education and meet their life goals when feeling safe and supported.

Together, we will continue to work towards one of our College’s priority goals for this year: To effectively mobilise available resources to support students’ wellbeing and mental health, especially the most vulnerable.

“Every Kid Is ONE Caring Adult Away from Being a Success Story.”

Our designated Student Wellbeing Team assist students and families in a number of ways, including but not limited to, providing and/or supporting access to a range of services.

These supports include one-on-one support and counselling for students, specialised programs, guest speakers, scholarship opportunities and breakfast club (yet to commence this year, due to COVID safe protocols), guidance/support with referrals to external support agencies, supporting students and families who have additional learning needs, and those students at our College living in Out of Home Care/Kinship Care.

Students may access the Student Wellbeing Team through family, teacher or self-referrals. The Student Wellbeing rooms at both campuses are open every day before school, after school and during lunch and recess breaks. Parents and carers may call and ask to speak with a Student Wellbeing Team member on 9363 1155 (Junior Campus) or 8312 0200 (Senior Campus).

All referrals are treated with the utmost confidentiality. If a staff member meets with a student who discloses thoughts/behaviour indicative of concerns for their safety, we let the student know (prior to our conversation with them), that whatever they tell us remains confidential, unless they are at risk of hurting themselves or others. We will contact families and carers should that be the case, and offer support for both the student and their family.

The designated Student Wellbeing Team consists of a team of professionals across the College:

Principal team
Anna Bonanno – Acting Senior School Leader
Brylee McNamara – Junior School Leader
Brownyn Anderson – DET Secondary School Nurse
Michael Donnelly – Youth Worker Cairnlea Campus/ Student and Family Engagement Officer (term 2 and beyond - BIG VUSC welcome to Michael who has re-joined our team this year
Randa Flifel - Student Engagement Coordinator
Gail Inniss – Student Wellbeing Manager
Siobhan Neyland – Mental Health Practitioner – BIG VUSC welcome to Siobhan who has joined our team this year
Mary Papaioannou - Student Wellbeing Administrator
Bayu Pratama – Youth Worker Deer Park Campus – BIG VUSC welcome to Bayu who has joined the team this year.

For parents and carers who have heard their children talk about Harry (former Youth Worker at Junior Campus) we have wished him a fond farewell, as he opted to take up a new position this year, in an organisation closer to home for him.

The Wellbeing Team liaise with other staff as well as families and carers as appropriate, so that students/families are provided with information about a comprehensive range of support services. The Team additionally collaborates with the school’s careers and pathways team in order to provide our students with a successful pathway towards achieving their future goals.

The Wellbeing Team is able to provide additional support to students through Student Support Services (DET Psychologists, Speech Pathologists, Visiting Teacher Service) in addition to providing referrals to other local services within our community. These include organisations such as Headspace, Safe Schools, Brimbank Youth Services, The Reach Foundation, Schools Focused Youth Services and Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services.

Helpful Links:

Be safe, be happy, be healthy, be kind to yourself and others.

Student Wellbeing Team