Student Wellbeing Update

Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

It is crazy to think we are already into November. Final Year 12 assemblies have happened,  end of Semester 2 assessments and benchmark tasks are in full swing across the year levels and plans are in place for commencing 2024 Headstart in a few weeks. 

So we are at that time again where we begin to reflect on the year that has been and start to look forward to putting new plans in place for the 2024 year.

As a Wellbeing Team we are now well settled into our wonderful new Wellbeing Space. This purpose built space has improved our capacity for one to one appointments, various meetings and ability to host a wide range of lunchtime and other activities. 

Our current team comprises our newest member Counsellor Hailey Pratt, Michael Barbas also a qualified Counsellor, Mel Raike our Mental Health Practitioner/Social Worker and myself Director of Student Wellbeing. We farewelled Youth Counsellor Harry Lee during the year. 

A highlight for me this year has been the introduction of the Raise Mentoring Program.  It has been a wonderful opportunity for a group of 15 Year 8 students who expressed interest in being part of this program. Volunteer trained Raise Mentors have met weekly with the students over 20 weeks and participated in a range of activities. There has been excellent feedback from the students and we are hopeful this program can continue in the years to come.

I'll hand it over to the team members to share some brief reflections of the year:

Michael Barbas - Youth Counsellor

What a year it has been! Having joined the Wellbeing Team in Term 2 last year, I can now say that I’ve finished my first full year here at Mordialloc College!

It has been thoroughly enjoyable as one of the Youth Counsellors on the team to engage with students in a face-to-face capacity and support students as required when they have accessed our Wellbeing Space. 

Breakfast Club (Thursday morning) and the Year 7 Card Club (Thursday Lunchtime) have been valuable in being able to connect with students and provide them with opportunities to increase their positive participation within their weekly schooling. In addition, being able to attend both the Year 7 and Year 8 camps has been incredibly valuable in once again connecting with students and allowing Wellbeing to have a presence at these significant and enjoyable events. 

I look forward to continuing to oversee these clubs in 2024 and engage with whoever would like to stop by Wellbeing for a bite to eat on a Thursday morning and to the prospective new Year 7 students, as well as attend as many camps as I can to meet our great students!

Students - Awesome work on almost completing another year of high school and I look forward to providing support in any way I can in 2024!!

Lastly, thank you to my Team for all the great work and support you have provided to the students and our school community throughout 2023.

 - Michael Barbas

Melanie Raike - Mental Health Practitioner

As the Mental Health Practitioner, I have had the opportunity to work across all three tiers of support, from one-on-one sessions, to small groups and building staff capacity and contributing to whole school approaches with the Wellbeing team.

This year has had a focus on targeted programs and groups. We have been able to run a small pilot group program written by Sarah Terry, our Speech Pathologist, to celebrate the strengths of students and build on their existing skills, to connect them further with their peers and the wider school community. Inclusion and a sense of belonging is vital to a student’s health and wellbeing, and successful outcomes in their education. We received excellent feedback from students, with several asking for it to continue for another term. Sarah is currently reviewing the feedback to bring this program bigger and better for 2024.

I also have had the privilege since arriving at Mordialloc College to work alongside the Indigenous students in our school community. The focus on engaging the young mob here is to ensure that our school community is not only a culturally safe place that values and respects Indigenous views, culture and practices but celebrates them. We have been able to attend some incredible programs, and cultural experiences with the highlight being our special invitation into the Koorie Emerging Leaders in Schools (KELiS).  KELiS was launched in Term 2, 2022 and brings secondary school students from the Bayside Peninsula area together to build the capacity of Koorie students in leadership skills, cultural connection, and advocacy skills to build their confidence to use their voice in their own respective schools.

I look forward to supporting more students, and working with staff, parents and the wider school community in 2024.

- Melanie Raike

Pamela Johnson Nurse - Onsite 2 days per week, Tuesdays & Thursdays

I have continued to enjoy my work at Mordialloc College two days a week facilitating a range of programs across the College. I was very pleased to be able to roll out a series of education sessions, in partnership with teachers, to different year levels on the important topic of Consent. 

After a review of the Respect group, with the students involved I am happy to see we now have 2 lunchtime groups operating. One group meets the need of students to have a safe, fun place to gather and build connections with each other. An additional group has been developed for those students who not only want to have a safe, fun place to gather but are also passionate about being involved in facilitating events across the college to improve inclusion across all diversities at school. This new group is the DIG - Diversity Inclusion Group. Some other key events Respect groups facilitated this year were Wear It Purple Day and IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia). 

The Wellbeing team acknowledged the important message of RUOK? Day this year providing yellow donuts for staff, encouraging us all to check in on our colleagues and take action if needed. I enjoyed working alongside the International Students and staff this year delivering sessions with them on local services, general health and relationship building. I worked with Headspace (National Youth Mental Health Foundation) to deliver engaging, mental health programs tailored to our Year 7, 8 and 10 students. With the positive feedback received from students and staff we are hoping these sessions can become an ongoing component of education at Mordialloc. I hope you have found my articles submitted in the school newsletter on a range of topics such as sleep, health and vaping valuable reading. 

Lookout for more in 2024.

- Pamela Johnson

Hailey Pratt - Youth Counsellor

At the beginning of the school year, I was given the pleasure to join the wonderful Wellbeing Team at Mordialloc College as a Youth Counsellor! I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the students across all year levels, whether that was through counselling sessions, a casual chat in the school yard, catching up at Respect Group, or going on excursions.

Working alongside the teachers and staff of the College to optimise the Health and Wellbeing of students has been a great experience. Last but certainly not least, it has been an honor to be welcomed into such an incredibly gifted Wellbeing Team, with all members having an array of expertise and knowledge. Across the College as a whole, there is an incredible team supporting the students at Mordialloc College which is awesome!

Students - You have done it, another year of schooling almost completed before Headstart commences! I am looking forward to supporting you next year in 2024 and see you reach your full potential. As for the Year 12's, I wish you all the best for your endeavours beyond Year 12!

As the school year comes to an end, I encourage all those within the school community to reflect on all of your achievements throughout 2023. I'll see you all in 2024.

- Hailey Pratt

I will be finishing in my role as Director of Wellbeing at Mordialloc College after nearly 20 years in the role. So I would like to take the opportunity to say what a wonderful privilege and a great experience this has been over the years - working with staff, students and families.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas season which is fast approaching.

Di Douglas

Director Student Wellbeing