Wellbeing 

Each term the Wellbeing Team host an event for the Year 12 cohort in Learning for Life lessons. Our Year 12 cohort recently came together to get back their childhood by celebrating a birthday party. This doubled as a well-deserved opportunity to connect, unwind, and create lasting memories during an important year of their schooling journey.

Held in a festive and welcoming setting, the event was filled with energy from the moment students arrived. Decorations added a bright and celebratory atmosphere, with balloons and music setting the tone for an afternoon of fun. Students embraced the chance to step away briefly from the demands of their studies and enjoy each other’s company.

The event also featured music and a range of light-hearted activities that encouraged participation and laughter. Pass the parcel was a highlight of the afternoon, with students participating enthusiastically and really getting back to what it feels like to be a child. It was wonderful to see such strong camaraderie across the cohort, with students supporting each other and celebrating not just birthdays, but friendships and shared experiences.

As the Year 12s continue to navigate the challenges of their final months, this celebration served as a timely reminder of the importance of balance, connection, and celebration. We look forward to seeing them carry this spirit with them as they approach the remainder of the year.

A big thank you to all students and staff who contributed to making the event such a success—your enthusiasm and positive energy made it truly special.

Raise mentoring

A group of Year 8 students are taking part in the Raise mentoring program in Terms 2 & 3.

In Term 1 a representative from Raise visited the Year 8 cohort and introduced the program. This information was also shared with families/carers. We were pleased with the response from students and families/carers with many enquiries and a quick uptake of this program.

In every thriving school, relationships sit at the heart of success—and mentoring is one of the most powerful ways we nurture those relationships. Whether it’s supporting careers, guiding new leaders, or simply learning from one another, mentoring helps us grow individually and collectively.

At the start of the program the facilitator spent time getting to know each student and with this knowledge the students were then paired with their mentor. The program is truly directed by the interests and choices of the Year 8 students. Each student was excited and a little apprehensive to meet their mentors. However this quickly changed to a room full of chatter, it was wonderful to see how quickly the students have taken to this program.

Why Mentoring Matters

Mentoring is far more than offering advice or sharing resources. At its best, it is a purposeful partnership built on trust, reflection, and growth. Strong mentoring:

• Builds confidence and capability 
• Encourages reflective practice and continuous improvement
• Strengthens collaboration 
• Enhances student outcomes 
•  

In today’s complex and fast-paced educational environment, having someone to guide, challenge, and support can make all the difference.

Respectful Relationships

Epping Secondary College is a proud Respectful Relationships school.

Respectful Relationships education is provided by all Victorian government schools and supports students to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed for respectful relationships and helps to build respect and equality across the entire school community.

Research tells us that providing Respectful Relationships education at school can lead to positive impacts on students’ academic outcomes, their mental health, classroom behaviour and relationships.

Our school uses the Department of Education’s evidence-based teaching and learning resources to teach our students about Respectful Relationships from Year 7-12. 

The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships resources have 8 topics that teach students about emotional literacy, personal and cultural strengths, resilience, problem-solving, stress-management, help-seeking, gender norms and stereotypes and positive gender relations.

In Terms 3 & 4, students across all year levels will be working through the Respectful Relationships education program.

If you have any questions about Respectful Relationships education, you can contact Suzanne Pollard (Student Wellbeing Leader) and visit the Victorian Government’s Respectful Relationships page: https://www.vic.gov.au/respectful-relationships

Below is a synopsis of the topics that will be covered;

Topic 1: Emotional Literacy helps students to learn how to be aware of, understand and use information about their own emotions and the emotions of others.

Topic 2: Personal and Cultural Strengths helps students to learn how to recognise and understand their own and others’ strengths and positive qualities, and how to identify how the values and strengths they learn from their family and culture help them to treat others with respect.

Topic 3: Positive Coping supports students to develop language around coping, reflect on their coping strategies and build a range of positive coping strategies.

Topic 4: Problem-solving helps students to learn a range of problem-solving techniques to manage personal, social and ethical dilemmas.

Topic 5: Stress Management supports students to consider the causes of stress and develop a range of self-regulation and coping strategies they can draw on to manage stressful situations.

Topic 6: Help-seeking helps students to develop skills and knowledge for peer support, peer referral and help-seeking.

Topic 7: Gender norms and stereotypes helps students consider the influence of gender norms on attitudes, opportunities and behaviour, and to learn about gender equality, inclusion, human rights and the importance of relationships that respect people of all genders.

Topic 8 Positive gender relationships helps students develop an age-appropriate understanding of gender-based violence, safe and unsafe behaviours and consent. Students also develop self-care, peer support and help-seeking skills they can use in response to situations involving gender-based violence.

Student Action Group 

This term, a group of year 8 and 9 students joined together to form an Action Group to discuss the Attitudes to School Survey data. Each year every student in the state takes part in the Attitudes School Survey.

Schools use this data to improve conditions for all students. We discussed how to make all students feel safe and comfortable around the college. We looked at data and analysed the results.

As a group we were concerned to find that the data showed a decline in how Year 8 and 9 students felt about coming to school every day and in particular their attitudes towards ‘Respect for Diversity’ and how this is shown throughout the college.

 We discussed questions, such as, ‘Who might be affected by this issue?’ and ‘Why does respect for diversity matter?’ As an Action Group we are working towards areas for improvement, and we will present these to the college Principals.

We are keen on taking action and involving the parents/community/teachers as well as the students. 

 Written by the year 8 and 9 students action group

                                                                       Suzanne Pollard

                                                                Student Wellbeing Leader