Director of Student Wellbeing

Year 5 Visits

Year 5 visits commenced this week with students from Catholic Primary Schools around Hobart participating in an SVC Taster Day. This provides an opportunity for the young boys and girls to see and experience how high school operates and the opportunities that will be available to them, including those that are unique to SVC. Each school heard from some courageous Year 7 students who spoke about their transition from Junior School to Senior School and our Year 10 Leaders passed on valuable words of wisdom to the Year 5s who will commence theirs in the coming years. They also got to participate in a range of activities such as rock climbing, woodwork and science experiments. I thank our Transition Coordinator Mr Greg Mills for his coordination of these special visits and all staff who led activities. I also thank our Year 10 Leaders who have led school tours. We look forward to welcoming more schools next week.

Work Experience 

This Term Year 10 students have entered the workforce as part of our Work Experience program. This opportunity provides students with valuable first-hand experience in an industry they are interested in pursuing in the future and to learn the value of their work. It has been enjoyable to hear about the vast range of experiences our students are having and skills they have gained. Most impressive is the positive feedback from employers around the boys’ positive attitude and application towards work. We thank the business owners and employers who have made these opportunities possible for our students and I particularly thank staff who have gone out of their way to visit boys at their place of work or phone employers for valuable feedback on their progress. As this opportunity comes to an end, I encourage each student to reflect on his experience as they make decisions that will inform their career pathway. 

Student Reminders: Hair Policy

As we are now mid-way through the term, student hair has naturally grown since their school holiday trim. Over the past week I have noticed hair that has outgrown our College Policy. I would ask parents/carers to please support us in monitoring the hair length and style of their son and make an appointment with a hairdresser if required to maintain the following; Hair must be clean, tidy, of natural colour with no trace of dyes, bleaches or tints. Hair may be shaved with a number two blade, but not a number one, and should be shaved evenly all over with no long hair on top and with short sides. Hair should not exceed collar length or cover eyes or the face. A small amount of mousse or gel may be used to keep hair in place but not to create spikes or other effects.

Wellbeing Staff Spotlight: Thymon Venter, Head of Dwyer House   

When did you join SVC?

I joined SVC at the beginning of Term 4 2022. I moved from Brisbane, Queensland.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. What were you doing before SVC? 

I am originally born in a town called George in South Africa. I moved to Auckland, New Zealand in 2001 and then to Brisbane, Australia in 2007. I have worked at a Marist Brothers Catholic school and a country state school about three hours outside of Brisbane.

What are you passionate about in relation to supporting students and wellbeing?

I am passionate about teaching because I have always wanted to impact the lives of others and share my own experiences with them. This passion comes from my mother who is also a teacher and a women’s advocate. My passion for wellbeing grows from the want to work closely with students, understanding their own experiences and walking alongside them.

What do you most enjoy about your role?

What I most enjoy about my role as a member of the Wellbeing Team is being able to collaboratively work with amazing and talented members to be the voice for students and staff members.

What does ‘wellbeing’ mean to you?

The idea of wellbeing to me means to connect with people (students in my case) and provide them with a voice to listen and understand their struggles and celebrate their successes.

What are some of the ways we can support our students’ wellbeing at the College?

Some of the ways that I can support students at the college is to provide them with an opportunity to be heard, understood, and provide strategies to work through the challenges of everyday life for a teenager.

What are some of the challenges facing young people today?

I believe that the major challenges for students in the 21st century is to have a healthy opportunity to be heard, expressing their feelings, and to feel wanted and accepted.

If you could turn back time, what advice would you give to your younger self?

If I could turn back time and provide advice to myself, I would express the need to speak openly to family and friends about the struggles and successes faced each day. Expressing yourself openly is not a weakness but instead a strength.

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

Students may not know that I have a deep love for the arts (Drama, Theatre) and outdoor hiking. One thing that was on my bucket list was to travel to the Himalayas and hike the 12 days to Mount Everest Base Camp. I was lucky enough to complete this in 2023. My next bucket list trip is to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.