Welcome to Wellbeing 2025!

The wellbeing and care of our students underpins every aspect of life at Bairnsdale Secondary College, and we encompass a caring and supportive environment for all students, fostering the development of resilience, self-confidence, respect and perseverance through our College values and all interactions between staff and students.

Meet our Team

Elvis is one of the College’s therapy dogs and can usually be found in the Wellbeing space, at the Year 7 Hangout Group (see details below) or around the school grounds. Elvis’ relaxing, gentle manner helps to make all students feel safe and secure and he just LOVES pats!

Therapy dogs can play a significant role in the school setting, supporting students struggling with anxiety and stress, providing a sense of connection and helping alleviate feelings of loneliness, and encouraging positive social interactions between other students and staff.

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The Student Wellbeing Team provides further support for students and the wider school community, advocating for students and encouraging and promoting positive social, emotional and educational outcomes. We work in close collaboration with teachers, Hubs and families, in addition to liaising with external community support organisations. Services/programs offered within the Wellbeing space include:

ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELLING (referral via the Hubs)

BREAKFAST and LUNCH PROGRAMS

Foodbank Victoria, in partnership with the Victorian Government, delivers the School Breakfast Clubs Program in government schools across Victoria. Breakfast Club enables all students to enjoy a nutritious breakfast, allowing them to engage and participate fully in all the educational and social opportunities that school offers. It has been shown, through interviews with staff and an evaluation by Victoria University that students who participate in the School Breakfast Clubs Program are better able to concentrate, have improved social skills and are more punctual to school.

BREAKFAST is served from 8.00 am to 8.45 am (Toast, cereal, Milo and tea)

LUNCH is served during Break 2 from 1.25 pm to 1.50 pm (Soup, spaghetti, baked beans, tuna/rice salad, milk, fruit cups, Messy Monkeys wholegrain snacks and fresh fruit.)

The program also stocks food items that can be provided to supplement student breakfasts both at home or at school, as well as staple home food packs to students in need. Any parents/carers wishing to access this service can reach out to Wellbeing.

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DOCTORS in SECONDARY SCHOOLS (DiSS) PROGRAM

Bairnsdale Secondary College is a partner in the Doctors in Secondary Schools Program (DISS). All students enrolled at the College are able to access a qualified doctor and nurse in a dedicated clinic on the school grounds. The doctor and practice nurse operate from Gippsland Lakes Complete Health and are available one day a week on Wednesdays. The main objectives of the Doctors in Secondary Schools program are to:

make primary health care more accessible to students
provide assistance to young people to identify and address any health problems early
reduce the pressure on working parents/carers and community-based GPs

There is no cost involved for this service, parents/carers are welcome to attend appointments and student confidentiality is maintained at all times. The program is guided by equity of access and cultural safety for all students in our College community. To access this service and make an appointment, please contact the relevant Hub or contact Jayne in Wellbeing.

SCHOOL NURSE - Sophie Brown

Based in the Yenella (Wellbeing Hub) School Nurse, Sophie, works at the College two days per week helping to promote and raise awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyle choices for all of our students. Sophie engages with school leadership and teachers to run health- related programs and also facilitates all of our immunisation programs and visiting dental health services. Advice and confidential appointments can be made with Sophie to discuss just about anything - to arrange an appointment or have a chat, see your Hub or Jayne in Wellbeing.

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ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG COUNSELLING/SUPPORT

AOD (Alcohol and/or Drugs) Youth Outreach through Gippsland Lakes Complete Health supports young people between the ages of 12-25, and here at the College, we are lucky to have an AOD worker (Lia Weston-Edward pictured below) onsite fortnightly to provide support for alcohol and/or drug use – including Vaping. The type of support offered includes counselling, assistance with withdrawal or reduction of alcohol and other drug use; support if you become involved in the legal system because of alcohol or drug use; information, education and other resources. For advice or to make a link a student in, speak to the Hubs or contact the Wellbeing team.

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For any students at the College who may be feeling a little overcome and unsure of where to go during Break times, the Wellbeing space is open to all. We have a number of quiet activities, puzzles and games, and throughout the week, show informative programs on the big screen TV. Students who are unsure of where to find Wellbeing can speak to their HUBS and a staff member will guide them to the space. The Library also run activities during Break 2 each day from 1.30pm. All students and staff are welcome to attend, whether they choose to participate OR they can just hang out in the library space.

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Bairnsdale Secondary College is committed to helping students develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be safe and respectful users of technology. We are aware that students’ online experiences often move seamlessly between school and home. See below for a range of information, tips and resources for parents and carers from the eSafety Commissioner (eSafety.gov.au) that you can use with your family to help create positive experiences for your children online.

ONLINE SAFETY BASICS - Online safety basics | eSafety Commissioner

PARENTAL CONTROLS - Parental controls | How to keep your child safe

ARE THEY OLD ENOUGH? - Are they old enough? | eSafety Commissioner

SCREEN TIME - Screen time | How much is too much? | eSafety Commissioner

GAMING - Gaming | eSafety Commissioner

CYBERBULLYING - Cyberbullying | Guide for Parents and Carers eSafety Commissioner

ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE - Protecting children from sexual abuse online | eSafety Commissioner

SENDING NUDES/SEXTING - Sending nudes and sexting | eSafety Commissioner

ONLINE PORN - Online porn | eSafety Commissioner

PRIVACY - Privacy and your child | eSafety Commissioner

THE HARD TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS - The hard-to-have conversations | eSafety Commissioner

HOME PAGE - Online safety | eSafety Commissioner

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ClearlyMe® is an app designed for teens aged 12-17 who are experiencing depressive symptoms, psychological distress or in other words, going through a tough time.

What is a tough time? Depression can be more than just feeling low or sad. It could mean that we are feeling stressed, worried, anxious or overwhelmed. Other times, it could be that we struggle to get out of bed in the morning, and we don’t know why.It is normal to go through tough times, and usually, they can pass on their own. But sometimes, they stay for a little while longer. And it can be hard to explain this feeling to others, leaving us feeling alone or even unseen. ClearlyMe can help you to:

Think and feel better when you’re going through a tough time.
Be the best version of yourself and get the most out of school and life.
Get to know yourself through your thoughts, feelings and actions.
Feel less alone and know help is available, if you need it.

ClearlyMe_Factsheet_PC_DIGITAL.pdf

Upcoming events

Key Dates