Pastoral Care & Wellbeing

Building Knowledge, Resilience and Connection

Over the past few weeks at St Patrick’s College, our commitment to holistic student development has been reflected through a variety of engaging and purposeful wellbeing initiatives. From online safety to celebrating Men’s Health Week, our students have been given opportunities to build knowledge, develop resilience, and strengthen their connection to themselves and their community.

Cyber Safety Education with Susan McLean

In a rapidly evolving digital world, keeping our students safe online is more important than ever. In early June, we were fortunate to welcome renowned cyber safety expert Susan McLean to the College to speak with our boys about the power and pitfalls of the online world.

Through age-appropriate, interactive sessions, Susan covered a wide range of topics to help students understand how to navigate the digital space with awareness and responsibility. Her real-life experience and honest delivery gave students a powerful insight into the consequences of online actions, including:

• Digital Reputation: Understanding that what we post and share online shapes how we are perceived—both now and in the future.
• Cyberbullying: Identifying it, supporting victims, and understanding that it can be a criminal offence.
• Online Grooming: Recognising the red flags and knowing how to stay safe.
• Sending or Receiving Nudes: A confronting topic that highlighted real-world consequences, pressure among peers, and legal implications.
• AI & Deep Fakes: The dangers of technology misuse and how the law responds to these emerging threats.
• Sextortion and Consent: Addressing sexual blackmail, how to respond, and where to report it.

These sessions were not just informative—they were critical. Students left with a stronger understanding of the responsibilities that come with being online and how to protect themselves and others.

For Parents: Support If Your Child’s Images Have Been Shared Online

If your child has shared intimate images—or had them shared without their consent—it’s important to act quickly and compassionately. Below are two highly recommended resources that can guide you through the process of having these images removed:

• eSafety Commissioner – “My Nudes Have Been Shared”

   Visit: www.esafety.gov.au

  The eSafety Commissioner is the leading Australian government agency supporting online safety. Their portal allows young people and families to report image-based abuse and request removal of intimate content from the internet. The process is confidential, trauma-informed, and supported by real people who understand the sensitivities involved. They also provide education and mental health support services alongside the image take-down process.

   

• Take It Down – National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

  Visit: takeitdown.ncmec.org

  This is a global tool that helps young people remove nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images of themselves that are online. Users can anonymously create a digital fingerprint of their images, which can then be used to help participating platforms detect and remove the content—without the need to send the image itself. It's a safe and empowering process backed by legal and tech experts.

Men’s Health Week: Celebrating Strength in All Its Forms

St Patrick’s College embraced the annual celebration of Men’s Health Week with enthusiasm, creativity, and community spirit. Spanning four days, the College hosted a wide array of activities focusing on physical health, mental wellbeing, social connection, and even a bit of friendly competition.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Physical Challenges
  • Half Court Basketball Shot Challenge
  • Longest Kick Footy Challenge
  • Soccer Crossbar Challenge

  • Staff vs Student Soccer Match – This much-anticipated event was a fierce and fun contest, ultimately taken out by the students in a nail-biting finish!

     

• Creative and Mindful Moments
  • Mindfulness Art in the library offered a calming space for self-reflection.

  • Sing it Out! with Mrs Muller encouraged students to express themselves through music.

     

• Community and Connection
  • Board Game Tournaments brought students together across year levels in a relaxed, inclusive setting.
  • Mass in the College Chapel reminded us of the spiritual dimension of our wellbeing.
  • Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser supported the work of Faith in Action, raising money for community initiatives.

  • Music Pep Rally injected energy and celebration into the week.

     

• Looking Ahead
  • Psyched for the Future? – A session that introduced students to potential careers in psychology and counselling, helping them consider their futures and their place in supporting the wellbeing of others.

At St Patrick’s College, our wellbeing initiatives are more than just events on a calendar. They are lived experiences that form part of our whole-school commitment to developing young men who are safe, connected, self-aware, and respectful. We thank all staff, students, and external presenters for their contributions and look forward to continuing this journey together.