Wellbeing Update

Inclusiveness at Lowanna

Support for our Indigenous Community     

Lowanna College are 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 and Elise have 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.

NAIDOC Week 2024

On Friday the 19th of July Lowanna held a NAIDOC celebration. We invited our local Primary Schools to come along and join us in the array of activities. Students were welcome to join in the smoking ceremony before the official welcome from Aunty Michelle. The community was then wowed by the dance and didgeridoo performance from the Boorun Boys. Once the formalities were over students were free to participate in traditional painting, beading or the handball competition. There were free goodies like cookies, badges and a sausage sizzle and lots of students captured memories of the day with friends in the Photo Booth. Overall, this was a huge community event enjoyed by all. 

Our LGBTIQA+ Community

The National Survey of LGBTQIA+ Youth Voice in Australia

Calling all LGBTQIA+ youth aged 13 to 25 - make your voice heard!

Minus18 have launched Queer Youth Now: The National Survey of LGBTQIA+ Youth Voice in Australia.

This survey aims to address the limited up-to-date data that exists on the experiences, hopes, and needs of queer young people in Australia.

Your voice will directly contribute to improving the experiences and support for LGBTQIA+ young people across Australia.

Have your say at https://bit.ly/queeryouthnow

Wear It Purple Day (August 30th)

This day is observed annually on the last Friday of August. Wear It Purple Day originated from a simple idea - to create a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ young people, free from bullying and discrimination.

By wearing purple on this day, we show our solidarity with LGBTQIA+ individuals and reaffirm our commitment to respecting and embracing everyone’s right to be themselves.

To learn more about Wear It Purple Day and to access other resources go to; https://www.wearitpurple.org/

General Wellbeing Information

Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid Training - Live4Life  

Our Year 8 students will be participating in the Teen Mental Health First Aid training in August. All Year 8 students will participate one class at a time. Our Mental Health Practitioner, Michael Naughton and our Koorie Liaison Worker, Emily Vernon will be facilitating the sessions.

The Teen Mental Health First Aid course teaches students how to provide initial peer-to-peer support to a friend or classmate who might be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis, until professional help is received, or the crisis resolves.

Students learn about the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems in adolescents, how to recognise and respond to an emerging or worsening mental health problem, and the interventions and supports available. The course covers; recognising warning signs; responding across a range of crisis situations; learning skills to have an open, supportive conversation about mental health; and reducing stigma and increasing support for a peer experiencing a mental health problem.

Blue Edge Program

Our new Blue Edge group have just commenced for the term. They will continue to meet every Tuesday until Term 4. The program runs for 15 weeks in total.

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 & Wellbeing.
• Alcohol and Other Drugs.
• Safety in the Community.

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

Self-Regulation 

In secondary school, young people experience more complex situations and relationships. They still need support in understanding and managing their feelings.

Attached to this newsletter is a tip sheet that talks about the adolescent brain and how making decisions can be challenging as it develops. As the brain doesn’t fully develop until our mid 20’s, adolescents are more likely to:

• act on impulse;
• misread or misinterpret social cues and emotions and/or;
• engage in dangerous or risky behaviour.

For more information about how to assist adolescents to self-regulate, refer to the tip sheet.

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 on the days we provide Breakfast Club. Please let the Wellbeing Team know if you’d 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