Respectful Relationships News

East Doncaster Secondary College has been a Lead School in the Respectful Relationships Program for a number of years. As a Lead School we support a number of our local Primary and Secondary Schools in implementing Respectful Relationships programs in their setting.

Our partner schools are Andersons Creek Primary School, Blackburn English Language School, Heatherwood School, Serpell Primary School and Warrandyte High School. We are also working in partnership with Doncaster Secondary College in their role as a new Lead School in 2020.

Each year we celebrate our program with a Respectful Relationships week (put on hold in 2020) and students undertake elements of the program in our Health and Positive Futures program. But how did this program come about and why is it so important now more than ever?

Respectful Relationships beginning

The Royal Commission into Family Violence identified the critical role that schools and early childhood education have in creating a culture of respect to change the story of family violence for future generations.

In 2016, Respectful Relationships education became a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12, and is being taught in all Government and Catholic schools and many Independent schools.

Everyone in our community deserves to be respected, valued and treated equally. We know that changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviours and equality are embedded in our education settings.

Respectful Relationships is about embedding a culture of respect and equality across our entire community, from our classrooms to staffrooms, sporting fields, fetes and social events. This approach leads to positive impacts on students' academic outcomes, their mental health, classroom behaviour, and relationships between teachers and students.

Together, we can lead the way in saying yes to respect and equality, and creating genuine and lasting change so that every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Due to COVID 19 and Victoria’s extended period of lockdown there have been increases in reported incidents of family or intimate partner violence and mental health concerns. In our role as a Respectful Relationships school we want all members of our school community to be safe and healthy and to have access to support if needed.

You will find attached some documents and links to support agencies, wellbeing activities, articles and information for parents and their teenagers about dealing with COVID -19.

https://elemental.medium.com/your-surge-capacity-is-depleted-it-s-why-you-feel-awful-de285d542f4c

Back to school anxiety during COVID

Managing your own anxiety during school reopening

Beyond Blue ‘Healthy Families’; Supporting Study Habits.

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/parents/family-health/parents-wellbeing-activities-secondary.pdf

More resources can be found on our Wellbeing, Engagement and Positive Futures page of the East Doncaster Secondary College website

https://www.eastdonsc.vic.edu.au/wellbeing-engagement-positive-futures

Government-funded transport to testing for people living (or accessing services) in the Cities of Boroondara, Manningham and Yarra

We are aware that there are people in the community who require a COVID-19 Test, may not have access to private transport.

Everyone who has flu-like symptoms, even mild symptoms should access a COVID-19 screening test.
To avoid unintentionally spreading the virus, it is vital that people do not use public transport, taxis or ride share services to access testing locations.

Access Health and Community can book government-funded transport to testing for people living (or accessing services) in the Cities of Boroondara, Manningham and Yarra. Transport is available between 8am and 8pm daily for people with no access to private transport, free of charge.

Case managers or health professionals are asked to refer clients or patients for transport by completing the attached form and submitting it to COVID.Transport@accesshc.org.au

The mailbox will be checked at 10am and 2pm daily and bookings made with the transport provider. If a client requires urgent transport at the weekend, please call the Coronavirus Hotline 1800 675 398.

The Body Project – online program for young women

Since it is Love your Body Week (September 7 – 12) it is the perfect time to promote a great project that is on offer to the young women in our community.

headspace Hawthorn and Boroondara Youth are facilitating The Body Project Australia for young women online in September.

This group program is about empowering young women to build their body confidence.

The group will be run by Lily from headspace Hawthorn and Caroline from Boroondara Youth.

The Body Project group program

Who? Young people who identify as female (inclusive of trans women) aged 14-18 years old.

What? A 6 week, online body confidence group.

When? Tuesdays 4:30-6:00pm from September 22nd 2020 - October 27th 2020.

Why? Build confidence and start to feel better about your body. We tackle society’s expectations of our bodies and unpack comparison culture to have more control over how we feel about our bodies.

Cost? Free

Register:

Young people can email their interest to

enquiries@headspacehawthorn.org.au