Wellbeing Update

Live for Life and Respectful Relationships

In week 8 of this term staff were involved in Live 4 Life and Respectful Relationships professional development.

Staff were introduced to the Latrobe Live for Life program – an evidence based and highly successful model which aims to educate and prevent youth suicide. Live 4 Life is new to the Latrobe area as we follow in the footsteps of Baw Baw and South Gippsland, who have been running the program for a while now. The program is specifically designed to support rural and regional communities. The education element of this program has a focus on;

• Identifying and training local community members, enabling them to become accredited Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid® instructors;
• Delivering Youth Mental Health First Aid courses to teachers, parents, carers and community leaders and;
• Delivering Teen Mental Health First Aid courses to all Year 8 and Year 10-11 students across all schools in the community, tailored for each age group.

In addition to the education, Live 4 Life will continue to build staff and student awareness and understanding through a range of other community events in partnership with other Latrobe secondary school’s and community service organisations. The Live 4 Life program is supported and lead by the Latrobe Health Assembly. Stay tuned for more information as we participate in this important work.

We also had Penny Solomon, the Respectful Relationships Project Lead visit the school for our staff meeting to talk about gender-based violence and the importance of understanding this work in the context of our interactions with students.

Respectful Relationships is one of many recommendations that came out of the Royal Commission into Family Violence. The work is to understand gender-based violence and creating a school environment that is free of gender stereotypes and promotes equality in relationships with our peers, colleagues and community members. Respectful Relationships is delivered to all students in schools within the classroom and as a whole school approach through a range of events, promotional activities and day to day interactions.

Inclusiveness at Lowanna College                

Support for our Indigenous Community

Lowanna College is a Marrung Lead School, leading the way across Gippsland in supporting Indigenous students and providing opportunities and programs for young people to experience, connect with culture and learn from. Emily (Koorie Liaison Officer) has done a fantastic job facilitating groups and offering opportunities for camps, excursions, incursions, artwork, indigenous garden work, celebrating Reconciliation and NAIDOC and so much more.

Reconciliation Week 2024

The 27th of May to the 3rd of June was National Reconciliation Week and we highlighted and acknowledged this throughout the week. Our students were educated on what reconciliation means for our country and many robust conversations were held in home groups across the college. On the Friday of that week, we celebrated with a morning tea for all our Indigenous families and students. We invited local community members and our KESO’s together with Rubicon Outdoor School (who have done a great deal of work with our Indigenous students over the last two years). Our students and their families came together and enjoyed each other’s company to have a yarn and share some great food and drinks supplied by our new college cafe.  It was a great success, and we look forward to our NAIDOC Week events after the school holidays.   

Our LGBTIQA+ Community

Whatever! LGBTQIA+ Youth Support Group 

Headspace Morwell Whatever is a group designed to give young people who identify as LGBTIQA+ a safe place to engage with others. It can also provide a platform to promote and advocate for LGBTIQA+ events and issues. With guest speakers, games, and other activities, make some friends and get the support you need in your journey. For more information contact Headspace Morwell via info@headspacemorwell.org.au or call 5136 8300 

Alternatively, students can speak to Bernice, our College Nurse, who can point you in the right direction.

General Wellbeing Information

Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid Training

Michael Naughton, our Mental Health Practitioner and I have continued to facilitate Youth Mental Health First Aid Training courses with our most recent ones delivered in June.

This work is to support our local schools in their participation of the Live 4 Life Program.

Michael Naughton and Emily Vernon have now completed training in the Teen Mental Health Facilitators Course. We will be rolling this training out to Year 8 students in the coming months and Year 10 students later in the year.

Blue Edge Program

A highlight for students in the Blue Edge program this term was Police in Uniform Day. The officers came to school in their uniforms with all their gear and the police car. Students had the opportunity to ask questions about their job and the role of police in the community. The students enjoyed being able to explore all the different equipment and sit in the police vehicles with lights and sirens on. 

Below are pictures of our students participating in the Blue Edge Program.  

What Causes Stress - People Experience Stress for Many Reasons

One of the most common reasons why people experience stress is a sudden or unexpected change, but even positive changes can be stressful. Expected changes, such as a child or young person starting at an early learning service or school, or changing between schools, can be also stressful. 

Stress can be a response to a single event or might be prolonged, cumulative stress. Overwhelming stress impacts our physical and mental health, relationships, learning and development, and capacity to fulfil our roles (for example, parenting, working or studying).

Changes can happen in many aspects of a person’s life at the same time, including shifts in their:

• physical environment (such as moving house or starting a new job);
• social environment (starting at a new school, feeling isolated after moving somewhere new, feeling they can’t control or influence their environment) and/or;
• economic circumstances (such as an unexpected financial loss, large expense or job loss).

Attached below is a tip sheet with more information about stress.

Girls Development Program - Expressions of Interest

Gippsland United Football Club are looking for expressions of interest from players to join the Girls Development Program (GDP). The program runs for 10 weeks and is open to girls born 1/1/2009 to 31/12/2013.

Further information is below.

Breakfast Club

A reminder that Breakfast Club is available Monday to Friday from 8am to 8.30am. We encourage students who have not had a bite to eat to come along and get some toast and a hot milo. A healthy breakfast is just the thing we need to help us start the day well. 

The Breakfast Club Team are also looking for anyone who would like to volunteer their time to help out with running Breakfast Club during the week. Please let the Wellbeing Team know if you’d like to help out.

Paul Fry

Wellbeing Leader