Wellbeing
Beginning Of Term 1:
Kenko Centre
Welcome to 2026.
The Kenko Team consists of, Debbie Walters, Director, Emma Tribe, Student Wellbeing Officer, Kat Chandler, Mental Health Practitioner, Penny Hsaio, Health Promotion Nurse, Nat Kearney, School Nurse and Mariella Aloi, Psychologist.
We have been very fortunate to move into the new space at the beginning of the year and what a lovely calming space it is.
The team is available for appointments during recess and lunch time-via contact on Teams, and at other times as required.
It has been lovely welcoming the new Year 7’s to South Oakleigh College and we have been working with them to build resilience. We presented at a recent Induction session where we talked about “bouncing back”. Resilience is our ability to manage and overcome disappointments and setbacks. Instead of falling down and staying down, resilient people bounce back, learn from their mistakes and keep trying.
Resilient behaviours can help us to move forward and not give up when we are faced with challenges.
The phrase ‘bounce back’ is often used to describe the concept of resilience.
Sometimes our life can be just like a bouncing ball. A ball can travel downwards; sometimes we feel like things in our lives aren’t going in the direction we’d like them to.
But a ball always bounces back up off the ground, and so can we! To do this, all we need is a little resilience!
When we face disappointments or we think we have failed, it is our choices and our actions that can help us to be resilient and bounce back from hardship.
Applying resilient behaviours can help us deal with setbacks so we can keep moving forward to achieve our goals!
Resilient people:
● Understand that setbacks can happen.
● See setbacks as an opportunity for growth.
● Show gratitude for the positives.
● Ask people to guide and support them.
● Are kind to themselves.
● Believe in themselves.
● No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and faces disappointments. When we accept that we are all imperfect, we can learn to be resilient by embracing our mistakes and transforming them into knowledge!
● The mistake you made might just be the one piece of the puzzle you needed to succeed in your goal or create a true masterpiece!
Over the course of the year we will work with the students to build other skills required to make it through school and life in general.
Feel free to contact the Kenko Centre via the school’s website if you would like to make a time to meet any of the staff.
Debbie Walters
Director of Kenko Cantre
How To Start The School Year Strong
Hi, my name is Penny, and I am a Health Promotion Nurse from the Department of Education under the Secondary School Nursing Program. I’m at South Oakleigh College every Tuesday, and I work closely with the Kenko (student wellbeing) Team.
The start of the new school year is the perfect time to build good habits that promote your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. By focusing on taking good care of your body, mind, time and connections, you’ll be ready to beat back-to-school stress and kick some goals.
Here are some practical tips and strategies for starting the year off strong and making it your best one yet!
· Eat well: A good balanced diet with more of the good things (e.g. vegetable, fruit, whole grains, and plenty of water) will help to keep your brain sharp.
· Sleep well: A good night’s sleep is really important. Set up regular sleep routines, such as waking up around the same time every day, getting out of bed after waking up, and going to bed around the same time each night. Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep a night and try to avoid screens for an hour before bedtime.
· Stay active: Regular exercise gives you more energy and helps to keep stress in check. Going for a walk with your family or friends can also provide a great opportunity to talk.
· Take care of your time: Make the most of your time by staying organised and finding a good balance between the things you have to do and those things you want to do. You can: use your planner, prioritise your tasks, set realistic goals, keep your study space clear and free of distractions, and set boundaries with your time.
· Connect: Regularly spending time with friends and family (including pets) and people in the community can strengthen your mental health and wellbeing. Reaching out first, asking people how they’re doing, making plans to hang out or having a study group are just some ways to boost your social life
· Seek help: If you’ve tried everything and still feel stuck, reach out to a trusted friend or family member or a mental health professional, such as one of the Kenko Team, your general practitioner (GP), or visit Headspace https://headspace.org.au/ or KidsHelpline https://kidshelpline.com.au/
It’s ok to ask for help – you don’t have to do it alone.
The above information has been sourced from https://au.reachout.com/
Penny Hsiao
Health Promotion Nurse