Lowanna College

Wellbeing Update

Inclusiveness at Lowanna College

Support for our Indigenous Community 

 

    

   

 

Our Koorie Liaison Coordinator, Emily Vernon, has some wonderful activities and events planned for our Indigenous students in 2025.

Students will experience and be involved in celebrating NAIDOC and Reconciliation Weeks with our larger school community. Emily will continue to offer get togethers for our Indigenous students – a safe space to talk, learn from each other and feel a strong connection to culture. There will be camps and other excursions/incursions to show the college’s commitment to diversity, understanding and improving cultural connection, and finally, building further school awareness.

 

Our commitment in 2025 is to continue to engage our families by inviting parents and carers to events where we can connect as a whole school community.

 

Our LGBTIQA+ Community 

I am thrilled to announce that we have a new College Nurse who started with us last week. Naomi Mock comes to us with a wealth of experience in nursing settings and has credible qualifications in Mental Health Nursing and Health Promotion.

 

Naomi will be meeting with many of our students throughout the year. A key part of Naomi’s role will be to support our students from the LGBTIQA+ community. We look forward to seeing the wonderful work that Naomi will do in this space.

General Wellbeing Information

   

   

 

Live4Life 2025

Today two of our Year 9 students are attending Live 4 Life Crew Training. These students have put up their hand to participate in leadership work for this initiative. Our students will be accompanied by Year 9 students from the other Latrobe Valley secondary colleges. More information and photos to come.

 

We will be continuing to train our staff in Youth Mental Health First Aid and our Year 8 and Year 10 students will participate in Teen Mental Health First Aid throughout the year.

 

The college look forward to engaging in this important work throughout 2025 and leading the way in the prevention of youth suicide.

 

Adolescent Mental Health Supports:

  • HEADSPACE, Morwell – 5136 8300 OR  1800 650 890
  • LIFELINE – 13 11 14
  • LIFELINE TEXT – 0477 131 114 (6pm to midnight)
  • KIDS HELPLINE – 1800 551 800

 

Parent Engagement 

 

At Lowanna College we encourage parents and carer feedback. As the Wellbeing Leader, I also welcome feedback about the service we provide to your young people. This helps us to consider ideas and look for new ways of doing things to ensure that we keep the level of support we offer our students as high and inclusive as we can.

 

As parents and carers of our college, you play a key role in working with us to ensure your child has positive wellbeing experiences. We encourage you to reach out to the Wellbeing Team if you have concerns about your child’s mental health. We are here to support not only your child, but you as the key people in their lives. 

 

The Salvation Army Support

We welcome Jacob Hardy to the Wellbeing Team in 2025. Jacob comes to us in a role with the Salvation Army, working onsite at the college. Jacob volunteered his time at the college in 2024 and obviously enjoyed his time with us so much, he has returned in a more permanent capacity to support our students.

 

Jacob’s role at the college will be to support students one on one and to offer a program for small groups to participate in. This program has a focus on key areas such as improving self-esteem, self-awareness, positive decision making, expressing feelings and emotions, positive ways to express anger and assertiveness and understanding healthy relationships.

 

Jacob will be working onsite at the college every Tuesday initially and possibly a couple of extra mornings a week as the need increases.

 

Counselling Support

We also welcome Daniel O’Shea to the college in 2025. Daniel is completing his final placement in his Bachelor of Counselling this year and will be working closely with the Wellbeing Team to offer additional support to students. Daniel has a special interest in working with neurodivergent young people and behavioural challenges.

 

Daniel will be onsite at Lowanna every Thursday until August.

Blue Edge Program 2025

 

   

Blue Edge has returned for 2025. The program is running over 8 weeks for two hours each week.

 

Blue EDGE (Educate, Develop, Grow, Empower) is a well-established fitness based experiential learning program run by Blue Light Victoria in partnership with Victoria Police, combining physical training, personal growth and life skills. The program covers a range of topics including:

  • Communication and Teamwork
  • Diversity
  • Healthy Decision Making
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • Alcohol and Other Drugs
  • Safety in the Community

The program ends with a reflection about what the students have gained from participating.

The program also includes a breakfast each week with an opportunity for peer connection and some group activities.

Breakfast Club

 

 

A reminder that Breakfast Club is available Monday to Friday from 7.50am 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 them on the days we provide Breakfast Club. Please let the Wellbeing Team know if you would like to help. We are also looking for donations of Milo and cheese. Any donations can be given to the General Office or Wellbeing. Thank you. 

 

Paul Fry

Wellbeing Leader