Wellbeing - Part 1
Cooking for Change program
Thank you to the dedicated teachers in our VM program and the wellbeing team, who have worked collaboratively with ‘Bendigo Foodshare’ and the Mount Alexander Shire Council’s “Healthy Schools Project”, to bring the ‘Cooking for Change’ program to CSC!
This term, our VM students have been learning about the role of food in society, healthy food choices and food security. This includes participating in a day immersed in cooking 196 meals for the community as part of the program and sharing a meal together as part of their celebration of their teamwork and community volunteering.
Tomorrow Man Workshop for Year 12’s
A small group of our Year 12s boys were provided with a 4th session from the Tomorrow Man team this term, after having completed modules 1 - 3 during year 10 & 11. This group of boys self-selected to attend the workshop aimed at deepening the social and emotional learning of students and creating a school culture that promotes inclusivity and understanding. Through active engagement and personal reflection, students were guided through participatory activities that provided insight into supporting gender equity and fostering connections that promote allyship.
Staying safe online and in the community
Our Flexible Learning Options (FLO) students have recently been learning about e-safety and online behaviours. In week 10 our Police Youth Liaison Daniel McGregor and his colleague stopped by to join our FLO students for breakfast and to answer their questions.
Year 7 Self-Regulation Workshop
This week, the Wellbeing Team will be facilitating a Self-Regulation Workshop for all Year 7 students. The workshop is designed to equip students with a range of practical techniques to support emotional regulation and overall wellbeing.
During the session, students will explore strategies such as yoga, breathing exercises, grounding through the senses, and mini energisers. Each student will also have the opportunity to create their own fidget tool to support focus and self-soothing.
To reinforce their learning, students will take home a mindfulness workbook and a pencil pack to continue practising these skills beyond the classroom.
Bullying No Way Week returns in Term 3, 11–15 August 2025
The theme for 2025 is 'Be bold. Be kind. Speak up.'
It takes courage to spark change. Bullying is everyone's responsibility. It takes a community to be brave and address bullying behaviours, within and beyond the school gate. Students can be bold, kind and take a stand to support others being bullied. While parents and teachers are there to support children and young people learn how to behave in a positive way.
In our community and in our school, we want a place where everyone can belong, a place that celebrates everyone, and where bullying is never accepted.
As part of Bullying No Way Week we will be launching our new online reporting tool, Speak Up. This tool allows students to anonymously report bullying or other forms of harm they have witnessed, so no victim feels alone. Staff will actively follow up on reports, offering victims support and providing an opportunity to address the behaviours with those people who are engaging in them.
Courage to care
As part of Bullying No Way Week, Courage to Care will be facilitating an anti-bullying workshop designed to raise awareness about the dangers of discrimination, racism, and prejudice. The workshop aims to educate participants to challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours, while reinforcing the message that every individual has the power to make a difference.
Courage to Care’s mission is to transform bystander behaviour into Upstander action. Inspired by real-life acts of extraordinary courage, their Upstander Programs empower individuals to stand up, speak out, and create meaningful, lasting change in their communities.
CSC Youth Appointment Service for medical services
Dear parents and carers,
our collaborative partnership with local doctors to deliver the Youth appointment service (that replaced the Dr in School program in 2023), will no longer be continuing due to the ongoing challenge of low uptake.
In appreciation, the wellbeing team and college would like to acknowledge the dedicated Doctors from Mostyn Street Clinic and Goldfields Medical Group in our local community and their work to deliver the youth appointment service. Over the last 2 years this has helped to provide an extra layer of support for some students and families @ CSC. The genuine care of our local Doctors to prioritize the needs of our local young people, in particular Dr Louisa Hope and Dr Alyssa Vass, who volunteered their time outside of their clinic responsibilities, represents the richness and resourcefulness within the Castlemaine community.
ReachOut Support for Parents:
ReachOut provides free online coaching sessions for parents of teenagers, aged between 12 and 18. The program includes 1 to 4 online or telephone sessions with your coach, over several weeks, with access to tools and resources to help your family build skills and focus. An individualised program will be developed to meet the needs of your family and can cover such topic:
- Anxiety
- Bullying
- Drugs and alcohol
- Communication
- School refusal
For more information: https://parents.au.reachout.com/one-on-one-support