Welcome back to Term 2

Each newsletter the wellbeing team shares information about upcoming events, resources, and other services. Stay tuned!

The wellbeing team wishes everyone a warm welcome back after the school holidays. It’s now Waring, or wombat season, in the Wurundjeri calendar. Students travelling to school along Merri Creek might notice cool and foggy mornings, and we can expect more rainy days ahead.

In addition to dusting off our our winter wardrobes, the wellbeing team are looking forward to a big and busy term. Firstly, we’re excited to have a new school nurse join the team - welcome Natalie! Read more about her role below. We’ve also got a lot of programs coming up. Jane and Sabatinie have already joined Year 7s on their Phillip Island camp, and we’re all looking forward to working with students taking part in clubs, mentoring, Love Bites (a Respectful Relationships education program), celebration days and other activities this term.

As always, we continue to offer short and medium-term counselling to all students. If you’re concerned or worried about yourself, a family member, peer, or friend please get in touch. Students can drop in to the Wellbeing Office in Room M11 or by email their Student Wellbeing Coordinator. Please see a reminder of our staff contact details below.

Head of Student Services	Leanne Petroff	Leanne.Petroff@nhs.vic.edu.au
Wellbeing Coordinator (Year 7, 8, & 12)	Sabatinie Balasooriya	Sabatinie.Balasooriya@nhs.vic.edu.au
Student Wellbeing Coordinator (Year 9, 10, & 11)	Megan Simmons	Megan.Simmons@nhs.vic.edu.au
Mental Health Practitioner (Social Worker)	Jane Harrison	Jane.Harrison@nhs.vic.edu.au
Mental Health Practitioner (Social Worker)	Kat Brissett	Katherine.Brissett@nhs.vic.edu.au

Welcome Natalie – Secondary School Nurse

Natalie joins the NHS Wellbeing Team this year as a Secondary School Nurse (SSN). Natalie has been working as an SSN for two years with other local secondary schools, and comes with experience as a practice manager, practice nurse, health promotion officer, Critical Care emergency nurse and surgical nurse. Natalie’s role as SSN includes:

Supporting and addressing physical and social health issues facing young people (including vaping, healthy eating, and sexual health.
Health promotion and primary prevention.
Building on existing school health initiatives.

If you would like more information about the role, please contact the Wellbeing team at NHS.

Community Resources

Coming soon - Youth Mental Health First Aid training at Northcote High School

Details: To further support the mental health and wellbeing of all students the wellbeing team will running a Youth Mental Health First Aid® training course for parents and carers in our school community. This course is particularly suitable for parents and carers living with adolescents aged between 12-18 years. The course teaches adults how to provide initial support to adolescents experiencing a mental health problem or crisis.

When: Day and time TBC – dates will be announced in the next edition of the newsletter.

Tuning into Teens (Berry Street)

Details: Berry Street’s Integrated Family Services team (IFS) is offering the Tuning in to Teens parenting program once more in Term 2. For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the group program, here are some key features and benefits:

Interactive evidence-based parenting program developed by child and adolescent psychologists from the University of Melbourne.
Sessions are built around group discussion, activities and some roleplays where caregivers reflect on their parenting and practice the strategy of Emotion Coaching, sharing their experiences with the group.
Supports caregivers to better attune to their teen’s emotions and support them with these through the strategy of Emotion Coaching.
Supports caregivers to teach their teens how to better manage their emotions.
Can reduce isolation for caregivers through peer support.
Helps to prevent or reduce behaviour problems in teens through a more connected relationship with the caregiver.
Helps promote resilience in teens.

When: Wednesdays from 12pm – 2pm for 6 consecutive weeks, beginning on 15th May 2024 and finishing on 19th June.

Location: Online, via Zoom.

Mental Health App

Details: Mello is a free mental health app that offers effective, evidence-based tools to target stuck thinking – the underlying cause of anxiety, depression and many other mental health conditions. The Mello app is free to use and is back by Orygen, Australia leading not-for-profit youth mental health organisation.

ParentZone Pods – podcast for parent and carers

Details: A podcast that explores common parenting issues. ParentZone Pods discuss the issues and concerns parents bring, but also offer strategies parents can try in these situations. These podcasts recognise that parenting is the toughest and most important job there is! Children don’t come with a manual, and sometimes parents seek guidance in ways to support their children and improve the family unit as a whole. There are two season available, hosted by qualified parent group facilitators from ParentZone.

Satellite Foundation – Healthy Hibernation Workshop

Date: Wednesday 1st May, 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Cost: Free

Location: Online

Datils: Satellite is a not-for-profit organisation that connects and empowers young people who have a family member living with mental health challenges. In the Healthy Hibernation workshop we’ll be exploring shape-shifting, preparing to shelter and the secret power of colours. We’ll play with ways to connect to nature and build mind cubbies for a warm winter.

‘Healthy Hibernation’ is open to all young people aged 14 – 17 years and takes place online, from the comfort of a home environment.

Message from the Education Minister