THE VILLAGE
The Village: Supporting Students to Focus and Thrive
The Village
As part of our ongoing focus on student voice and engagement, we are beginning to make some changes to our Year Level Assemblies for students in Years 7–9. We want these assemblies to be more than simply a time to share information with students; we want them to become an opportunity for students to have a genuine voice in what happens within their year level and across the College.
Moving forward, we will be looking at ways to give students greater opportunities to contribute to assemblies, share their ideas, celebrate the achievements of their peers and have a say in the topics and issues that are important to them.
We know that students are more likely to feel connected to school when they feel that their ideas are heard and valued. By creating more opportunities for student voice, we hope to build greater ownership, connection and participation across our Middle School.
This is something we will continue to develop over time, with student feedback helping to shape what our Year Level Assemblies look and feel like. We are looking forward to seeing what our students can bring to these opportunities and creating assemblies that are genuinely for students, with students.
Supporting Students Beyond the Classroom
As always, The Village is also a space where we can share resources that families may find useful when supporting their young people. We encourage parents and carers to explore the evidence-based resources we share throughout the year, including Pop Culture Parenting and other trusted wellbeing services. These resources are intended to provide practical information and ideas that complement the work happening within our school.
We also want to remind students that they can refer themselves to Wellbeing if they would like some support. Students can make a Wellbeing request through Compass or speak with their relevant Sub School or a trusted adult at school. Asking for help is an important part of looking after ourselves, and students don't need to wait until something becomes a major concern before reaching out.
For the Village, I’d keep the list fairly short and stick to services that are well established and relevant to secondary students and families:
Trusted Wellbeing Resources
- Kids Helpline – Free, confidential counselling and support for young people aged 5–25, available 24/7.1800 55 1800 | kidshelpline.com.au
- Lifeline – 24/7 crisis support for anyone experiencing emotional distress or needing someone to talk to.13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au
- Beyond Blue – Information and support around mental health, anxiety, depression and wellbeing.1300 22 4636 | beyondblue.org.au
- eSafety Commissioner – Advice for young people and families around online safety, social media, cyberbullying and harmful online content.esafety.gov.au
- Headspace – Mental health and wellbeing support for young people aged 12–25, including support around relationships, stress, anxiety and study.headspace.org.au
Tyson Biffin Assistant Principal
Tyson Biffin Assistant Principal
Tyson Biffin
Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Inclusion