Wellbeing
Purple was the flavour of the day last Friday as College staff and students adorned the colour in acknowledgement of Wear It Purple Day. By wearing purple, we demonstrate to rainbow young people that they are celebrated and respected, acknowledging that all have the right to be proud of who they are and who they are becoming. Originally founded by students in response to global stories of teenagers taking their own lives due to bullying and harassment, Wear it Purple Day has become an international movement of love and support
During Break 2, LGBTQIA+ students, staff and allies were invited to join in activities with visiting external groups. James from the East Gippsland HEY (Healthy Equal Youth) Project was on hand with his ever-popular badge-making equipment, whilst the crew from East Gippsland Shire Council Community Programs provided snacks and VR headsets.
East Gippsland H.E.Y (Healthy Equal Youth) Project: if you're aged between 12-25 and are passionate about supporting LGBTQIA+ young people in your area, then the H.E.Y Project is for you! They are a team of young people like you working together to run awesome events, develop resources and influence equality in the East Gippsland community. If you want to make positive changes, meet new people and learn new skills, find them on Facebook or Instagram or call 5155 8300 (Gippsland Lakes Complete Health).
East Gippsland Shire Youth Ambassadors: Youth Ambassadors are a group of young people aged 12-25 living, studying and working across East Gippsland who are committed to create change in their community. The Youth Ambassadors have a unique opportunity to influence, lead change and to assist Council in understanding the needs of young people. Becoming a Youth Ambassador provides a platform for young people to discuss issues, create and lead projects for young people, have meaningful engagement with the established Council and have a say about the future of their community. Their mission is to ensure young people are engaged and feel valued as citizens in the community. Youth Ambassadors participate in free training and development opportunities, community consultations and events, as well as developing and implementing an action plan with goals and ambitions they work towards each year. Contact the East Gippsland Shire Council for more information 5153 9500.
SAVE THE DATE!
Join us to celebrate the Rainbow Ball 2024:
Gays, Goths and Ghouls on the 28th of September!
Tickets are on sale now, swipe to scan the QR codes or follow the links:
Tickets: https://HEYProjectRainbowBall-gaysgothsghouls.eventbrite....
Buses: https://HEYProjectRainbowBall-BusTickets.eventbrite.com.au
Ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day.
A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week. Whether it’s your friend, family member, colleague, partner, or teammate, the people you care about go through life’s ups and downs every day. By having regular, meaningful conversations, you build trust and normalise talking about what’s really going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you’re someone they can talk to. So whilst R U OK?Day on Thursday September 12 is our National Day of Action, we encourage you to Ask R U OK? Any Day of the year because a conversation could change a life.
Bairnsdale Secondary College will be acknowledging the day with a free sausage sizzle during Break 2 for all students, Headspace onsite and music followed by a host of activities and games with prizes to be won!
Find out more at: A conversation could change a life | R U OK? or check out the following resources:
BODY IMAGE AND EATING DISORDER AWARENESS WEEK
Australia’s leading charity for eating disorders and body image, Butterfly Foundation, is using Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week (BIEDAW), September 2-8, to share important reminders of what Australians should and shouldn’t say, think, or do when it comes to bodies, appearance and eating disorders.
With the latest research revealing that more than 1.1 million Australians are living with an eating disorder, and less than one in three are seeking support, it is a vital time to enlighten all Australians – from health professionals to parents and educators – on how to support people vulnerable to, experiencing or recovering from eating disorders and body image issues in their everyday language and actions.
Butterfly’s research shows that while general awareness of three well known eating disorders, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder, is growing, there is still a lack of genuine understanding, with one in five Australians mistakenly believing that you can tell if someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them, 16% seeing eating disorders as a ‘sign of weakness’ and almost one in six people (17%) thinking that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice or about vanity.
These stigmatising views can have a serious impact on people at risk or experiencing eating disorders, potentially leading to engaging in harmful behaviours or encouraging relapse and discouraging help-seeking.
Demonstrating supportive language and actions is particularly important for young people in Australia, with the latest Body Kind Youth Survey revealing 77% of those aged 12-18 are teased about their appearance at school, and more than half are dissatisfied with their bodies – a serious risk factor in the development of an eating disorder.
Through Kindly Do, Kindly Don’t Butterfly will share actionable ways to avoid ‘appearance-based’ comments and triggering behaviours, aiming to break down misconceptions and support people struggling with eating disorders and body image issues – a vital step toward a more BodyKind Australia.
In addition to language guidance, Butterfly has also developed a new, downloadable ‘Kindly Do, Kindly Don’t: Support Script’ to empower people with eating disorders to advocate for themselves in healthcare settings and advise health professionals of language and actions that may be helpful or harmful to their recovery.
For more information visit: Support for Eating Disorders and Body Image Issues | Butterfly Foundation