Wellbeing Garden

Castlemaine Secondary College has secured funding to build a Wellbeing Garden. Recently, Maree Edwards the State Member for Bendigo West, visited our school to announce our successful application to receive $72,000 as part of the Department of Education Inclusive Funding Grants.

The Wellbeing Garden will run alongside the Wellbeing Team Hub and the Calm Learning Space, providing an outdoor area for students to refresh and recharge. The garden will be a restful area for all students, but with a particular focus for students who may need an opportunity to find calm in the busyness of the school day. Many of our students who have sensory issues or mental health concerns, such as anxiety, will be able to take time out in this space, making use of the quiet areas incorporated in the design or using the play equipment to support self-regulation.

The Wellbeing Garden was designed by local Monash University Architecture student Ally van Domburgh, and includes universal design principles that support inclusion and use for all students, especially those with disability. The garden also recognises the importance of connection to nature and the role that being outdoors plays in supporting the wellbeing of our young people.

Visit from Mt Rowan SC

Our SRC and Pride Crew students hosted the students recently from Mt Rowan sharing ideas on leadership & inclusion.

Teen Mental Health

This term and next term will see our year 8, 9 and 11 students complete the Teen Mental Health First Aid training. Our year 12 students already completed this earlier in the year. This is usually delivered annually to our year 8 and 11 students. However it was not delivered last year due to remote learning so we are catching up our year 9 and 12 students.

The training is being delivered by Mount Alexander Shire Council. This gives young people the skills they need to recognise and help with mental health problems and crises in their friends, and to get the help of an adult quickly.

Young people will often turn to each other when stressed or upset, and try to help each other, taking on too much. This course teaches them not to take on these problems alone.

Although it is not the focus, the course discusses suicide. You may wish to discuss this with your child, if there is a risk they will find it distressing.

This course has not been introduced because of any specific problems at the school. Mental health problems are very common in adolescents.

If you have any questions about this program, please do not hesitate to contact Shanee Peters (Wellbeing Leading Teacher) or a member of the wellbeing team.

If you wish to learn more…

… about mental health problems experienced by young people, visit:

www.youthbeyondblue.com
www.reachout.com

… about suicide:

www.livingisforeveryone.com.au

… about tMHFA and other MHFA courses:

www.mhfa.com.au

For immediate online help for teenagers:

Castlemaine Secondary College News

Issue 5 · 02 Jun 2021

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