Camden High School Newsletter

Ways to Wellbeing

Welcome to the rebranded ‘Wellbeing Wins’! 

Within the Wellbeing Wins section of the newsletter we want to focus on all the ‘wins’ that students are having when it comes to their wellbeing and success, as well as communicate home some strategies on improving the wellbeing of our young people.  

 

In the Wellbeing Wins section of the newsletter you will find the following updates from the Camden High School Wellbeing Team: 

  • Progress and impact of Wellbeing programs being run at school 

  • Recent data, information and trends pertaining to young people’s wellbeing – the bigger picture stuff 

  • Staff and student perspectives on Camden High School activities 

  • Tips and tricks for parents/carers, students and community members on how to improve the wellbeing of young people 

We hope this section will shine a light on all the hard work that students are putting in at Camden High School and provide some tools for our young people to continually improve their own experiences! 

 

Wellbeing Programs 

Camden Tradies 

Our Tradies program with Pete and Mr Berrell has kicked off again for 2025! Yr 8 and 9 students with an interest in becoming ‘tradies’ have been hand picked to help with some small projects around the school. Currently, some of the boys are building a large set of shelves for the shed out the back of the library. Working as ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams, the boys have measured, drafted plans, ordered materials and are now starting construction on the shelves. Our Tradies program focuses on team work, discipline and practical hand on skills as well as building elements of work ready literacy and numeracy skills. Here are some shots of the boys in action! 

 

The Bigger Picture 

Did you know that the Australian Government has set a date where social media platforms will be starting to enforce the new amendments to the Online Safety Act? Come December this year, social media platforms will be putting in steps to prevent young people under 16 years old from holding and using social media accounts. Platforms likely to be affected include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.

 

This might be an important time to start discussing social media and phone use with your young person at home! Things to consider:  

  • Does your young person currently have an account on social media platforms? 

  • How much are they using it and how much screen/phone time takes up their day? 

  • What are they using social media for? Do they feel like they need it? 

  • If your young person is under 16, how can you start to take steps away from social media use before the laws change? 

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There is growing evidence of the negative impact that heightened social media (and screen time) use can have on the developing teen brain, hence the decision for these new laws on social media platforms. 

 

For more information on what this means for young people and families, you can visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions or reach out to Mr Joel Berrell (Head Teacher Wellbeing) if you want to discuss how to approach this with your young person at home.  

Improving Wellbeing 

We are incredibly proud to share that a large group of our current Year 12 students have been taking part in the Future Proofing Study—a landmark youth mental health research project led by the Black Dog Institute. This is one of the largest studies of its kind in Australia, designed to explore how digital tools can be used to prevent mental health challenges like anxiety and depression. 

 

The study began in 2019, and students across Australia were visited once a year and asked to fill in a mental health and wellbeing questionnaire. This ground-breaking initiative worked with 6,388 students from 134 schools around Australia over a 5-year period. Our group of participating Year 12 students have been involved in the study since they were in Year 8. 

 

What made this experience truly special was the way our students embraced the opportunity. Every time the Future Proofing facilitators visited our school, they made a point of commending our students for their outstanding engagement, maturity, and commitment to the study. Our students’ willingness to contribute thoughtfully and respectfully to such an important national project is something of which we can be incredibly proud. 

 

Through this study, our students played a direct role in shaping future mental health supports for young people across Australia. Already, positive outcomes are emerging—such as the development of evidence-based apps that help with sleep, stress, and emotional wellbeing. These tools are designed to be practical, accessible, and tailored to the needs of young people today. 

 

To our participating students from outgoing Year 12 and their families: thank you. Your contribution to this ground-breaking research is helping to create a stronger, healthier future for generations to come. 

 

As a result of the Future Proofing Study, the following resources are now available to support students and parents: 

  • 🌙 Sleep Ninja – A free smartphone app to help teenagers build better sleep habits using CBT-based techniques. 

 

  • 🌈 Youth Mental Fitness Hub – An engaging online resource providing practical ways to boost mood, handle stress, or express yourself. 

 

  • 🧭 myCompass – A free, personalised online tool to help manage symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression through interactive modules. 

 

 

These trusted, research-backed resources are freely available and can be accessed anytime. We encourage families to explore them and see how they can support the wellbeing of both students and parents alike. 

 

If you would like help accessing any of these tools or if you would like more information about the study, please feel free to reach out to the CHS wellbeing team.