Wellbeing Wins
Welcome to ‘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:
Wellbeing Programs - Progress and impact of Wellbeing programs being run at school
The Big Picture - Recent data, information and trends pertaining to young people’s wellbeing
On the Ground - Staff and student perspectives on Camden High School activities
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
Our Year 8 students are currently participating in two wellbeing programs. The first, RAGE, being facilitated by Junction Works. This program supports students to develop emotional awareness, build resilience, and learn practical strategies for managing emotions and responding positively to challenges.
The second Year 8 initiative, Friday Sessions, is a preventative mental health program designed to help young people recognise and manage barriers to their mental health and wellbeing. Through discussion, reflection, and skill-building activities, students are developing greater self-awareness and learning strategies to support their overall wellbeing.
These programs form an important part of our commitment to fostering a supportive school environment where students can thrive both academically and personally.
The Big Picture
Mental Health continues to be one of the leading causes of illness and death in Australia, especially in Young People and Men. This month, some of the Year 10 boys, along with Mr Berrell, Mr Usher and Miss Harris have been taking on The Push Up Challenge (https://www.thepushupchallenge.com.au/home) to improve their physical and mental fitness and raise awareness and funds to make a difference to mental health in Australia. Running from 3rd - 26th June, the team will complete 3307 push ups EACH.
Every day there is a different push up goal relating to a health statistic in Australia. One statistic that hit home in Week 2 of the challenge was that:
“Adolescents with parents who show warmth, encouragement and positive emotions are 1.91 times more likely to maintain good mental health”
(Source: Collishaw et al (2016). Mental health resilience in the adolescent offspring of parents with depression: a prospective longitudinal study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(1), 49-57 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4703896/).
Adolescence is a time of major emotional, social and brain development. How emotions are expressed at home plays an important role in shaping a young person’s sense of safety, belonging and emotional wellbeing during this period of change. Asupportive home environment - where positive emotions are expressed through words, actions and body language - can help adolescents build resilience, regulate emotions and develop healthy coping strategies. Parents don’t need to be perfect; small, consistent moments of warmth and encouragement can have a lasting impact.
Tips for parents
💬 Show warmth - kind words, encouragement and interest help young people feel valued.
🤝 Practise active listening - give full attention and validate feelings.
🌱 Model healthy coping - showing how you manage emotions teaches lifelong skills.
❤️ Remember, progress over perfection - consistency matters more than getting it right every time.
On The Ground
Supporting student wellbeing continues to be a key focus across our High School, with several targeted programs running throughout Term 2.
In Week 5, our Year 10 students proudly participated in Walk the Talk, an innovative and inspiring program that empowers young people to become leaders of positive change in their communities. Through engaging workshops, students explored the foundations of respectful relationships, consent, healthy communication, and the impact of domestic and family violence. They were encouraged to challenge harmful stereotypes, develop empathy, and build the confidence to support themselves and others.
What makes Walk the Talk particularly powerful is its focus on turning learning into action. Students were introduced to the work of local women's shelters – particularly Blue Wren House in Camden - and gained an understanding of the vital support these organisations provide to women and children experiencing hardship. The program empowers young people to move beyond awareness and become active contributors to their community, supporting local shelters through service, advocacy, fundraising, and awareness-raising initiatives and work on this has begun in Week 8!
We are incredibly proud of the maturity, compassion, and social responsibility demonstrated by our Year 10 students throughout this experience.
Programs such as Walk the Talk help foster the next generation of respectful, informed and engaged citizens, equipping young people with the knowledge and values needed to create safer, more inclusive communities for everyone.