Wellbeing - Students
THS has a small allied health team consisting of two Mental Health Practitioners (Steph Budiman and Livia Lo Giudice), Mental Health Nurse (Jess Manzie), Wellbeing Counsellor (Jamie Goodison), and our Wellbeing Coordinator (Lauren Downes). We provide a range of different support services to students, parents, guardians and staff on issues impacting on student wellbeing. Some of these are:
- Short-term counselling for students presenting with low to moderate mental health concerns
- Psychoeducation to parents and staff on a range of different topics
- Professional development for staff, as well as collaborating with a range of other internal and external services
- External referrals where appropriate
Please contact Lauren Downes for further information or questions about support that can be provided.
What has been happening this term?
Welcome Jamie Goodison!
We are excited to welcome Jamie to the Thornbury High School wellbeing team! Jamie will be supporting the team and students for the remainder of the year. Jamie will be working Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to support students with their wellbeing and mental health needs. We’re very pleased to have him joining our team and know he will be a wonderful addition.
As always, if you see Jamie around the school, please say hello and help make him feel welcome at THS!
Teen Mental Health First Aid
This term, our Year 11 VCE-VM students participated in Teen Mental Health First Aid (TMHFA). Our mental health nurse, Jess Manzie, facilitated this program which is designed to build young people's confidence in recognising and responding to mental health concerns in their friends and peers.
Students learnt about common mental health challenges, signs that someone may need support, how to have a supportive conversation, and when to involve a trusted adult. Importantly, the program reinforces that young people are not expected to be counsellors or manage someone else's mental health and provided support networks within and external to the school that students could engage in times of need.
A key message was that you don't need to have all the answers to help. Noticing when something isn't right, listening and helping a friend connect with appropriate support can make an important difference. TMHFA is another way we are building our students' mental health literacy, help-seeking skills and confidence to look after themselves and one another.
R U OK? Day @THS
As part of our staff R U OK? Day celebrations, we took the opportunity to recognise something that can sometimes go unnoticed in a busy school day; the many small ways our staff look out for one another.
Staff were invited to nominate their colleagues across five awards, each recognising a different way people contribute to a caring, connected and supportive school community.
Our awards were:
- The “I’ve Got You” Award: for going the extra mile and always being ready to lend a helping hand.
- The Go-To Award: for being someone others naturally turn to for advice, guidance and encouragement.
- The Genuine Check-In Award: for noticing when someone might need a chat, checking in and taking the time to genuinely listen.
- Heart of the School Award: for leading with kindness, empathy and understanding, and helping others feel valued and included.
- The Joy Bringer Award: for bringing positivity, laughter and a little extra joy to the school day.
While there could only be one winner for each award, the nominations reflected just how many staff contribute to the culture of care and connection at THS every day. The winners received an R U OK? care pack filled with essential self-care items!
R U OK? Day is an important reminder that supporting wellbeing doesn’t always require a big gesture. Sometimes it is noticing that someone seems a little quieter than usual, offering to help when a colleague has a lot on their plate, sharing a laugh at the right moment, or simply asking “are you ok?” and being prepared to listen to the answer.
Congratulations to all of our award recipients and nominees, and thank you to our staff for the many ways they continue to look out for our students, their colleagues and our wider school community.
Resources & Support Services
Support is available throughout the Holidays – just not from us!
It’s important that students continue to reach out over the holidays when and if they need. The Wellbeing Team will be unavailable during the holiday period, but we encourage you to reach out to any of the services below.
All are free, and most are available 24/7.
Youth Help Lines
If you need support when you’re not at school, here are some handy contacts:
Emergency services 000
Safe Steps - Family Violence 1800 015 188
Lifeline 131 114
Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1800 806 292
13YARN (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander) 13 92 76
Youth Support Services
Headspace: visit headspace.org.au to find your nearest centre or call headspace on 1800 650 890.
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
ReachOut: reachout.com.au
SANE Australia: 1800 187 263 or sane.org
National 24/7 crisis services
Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Beyondblue: 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au
Lauren, Steph, Livia, Jamie, and Jess
The Wellbeing Team