Wellbeing

Term Time After-School-Groups-and-Clubs & School Holiday Program Information in Melton!

I have posted a link below to information about weekly programs offered by Young Communities to young people from the age of 12 years old. There are lots of different supervised clubs and activities available through Melton City Council.

This includes things like:Cook it – Eat it; Learn how to run youth based events!; Art Club; Internet Café; Learn to set up and mix live music; Basketball (SWISH); Mind Champs about conversation skills; iPlay – free sports games and activities; The Space social support for LGBT young people; Touch Rugby.

All programs adhere to Government restrictions and follow a CovidSafe Plan.Link:

You can register for a program or to speak to a Youth Worker, call 9747 5373 or email: youngcommunities@melton.vic.gov.au.

https://www.melton.vic.gov.au/Services/People/Youth/Stuff-to-do

There is also ‘The Gap’ - an independent youth centre that costs $5 per year that has a Friday night drop in from 6.30pm – 9.30pm. They also have heaps of other activities including Girls Night which runs every Wednesday from 6.30-8.30 and has activities including like dancing, cooking, sewing & crafts. On Monday nights there is boxing from 4.30 for an hour. Check it out! The link will take you to their website: http://www.thegapongraham.org.au/index.html

Tips for Helping Your Anxious Teenager

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common types of mental health concerns in children and young people, with around 7% of Australian children experiencing some type of anxiety disorder. There are also different types of anxiety. It can be generalised or specific, related to social interactions, or an event. It can cause panic.

How to support your child through anxiety

There are many things you can do as a parent to support your kids with anxiety. Here are some strategies to try:

Find out more about anxiety – read books and talk to experts or a parent who seems to be managing it well in their own child. Call and speak with someone in Wellbeing, or at Parentline. https://parentline.com.au/issues/anxiety-kids
There are lots of good resources at the following websites as well:
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/anxiety-kids-and-teens
Try to avoid telling your child to ‘stop worrying’ – often they can’t control it yet
Teach them about anxiety – it’s role is to protect us from threats
Talk about their anxiety – sketch where on their body they feel it so they can learn to recognise where the signs of anxiety start, as it is easier to recover from it if they can start early on.
Reassure them that shaking, sweating and a racing heart can be part of anxiety
Slow things down – encourage your child to take some slow, deep breaths and do something that helps them calm down. Sometimes it is music, humour, colouring in, writing down their worries in a “worry box” or on a “worry wall” or in a journal that they can go back to later, and use to help them talk about it.
Make a list of coping strategies to try and try them together. An example of strategies are things like walking or grooming a pet, exercise, saying positive things to themself, colouring, shooting hoops, riding a bike, watching a funny video clip, using a sensory or fidget toy, investigate www.smilingmind.com.au as it has some great short and effective mindfulness sessions for different ages and stages. Well worth a visit!
Encourage a healthy lifestyle – eat well, exercise, sleep
Be patient and positive as your child practices new ways to cope
Seek professional support for you and your child when needed. Involve Wellbeing staff at school who can be supportive.
Let them know you can work together to overcome anxiety
Acknowledge their fears and help them to see that things might not be as bad as they think
Help them manage their anxiety – set daily goals and develop coping skills

The National Day of Action against Bullying & Violence or Anti Bullying Day as it is sometimes called, it is such an important date in the school’s calendar. It focuses attention on continuing prevention and growing understanding of the very negative effects bullying has. It is also around making sure everyone knows what to do if they see or experience bullying, in and out of school.

The theme for 2022 is Kindness Culture. By building Kindness Culture together, we can promote inclusion, respect and community belonging for all students in schools across Australia.

There will be some lunch time activities, anti-bullying information to all students during classes next week, and newsletter articles. The lunch time activities include:

A photo frame activity with students showing their kindness and or antibullying message to the student photographers with a camera. Student messages will be written on paper in the shape of coloured leaves and we will build a kindness tree for display at school afterwards.
There is a poster competition up and running with posters promoting this around the school so check it out. We have five prizes for five winners so start thinking about your antibullying and kindness messages for the posters, and see if we can really make this a great day! Posters will be displayed during the lunch time activities.
There will have some music playing by speaker near the gym with kindness and antibullying themes!

Josie Mitchell, Secondary School Nurse