WELLBEING

OUR WELLBEING TEAM

2024 Student Wellbeing Team

Holiday Activities

• The Huddle

Huddle Holidays is a FREE school holiday program that services 8-18 year olds with a particular focus on ensuring young people learn, grow and belong. The Summer Huddle Holiday Program is packed with a number unique activities. 

• Juniors (8-12 year olds) can sign up for an excursion to Bounce and a Jewellery Making Course.
• Seniors (13-18 years) can sign up for the Inflatable Water Park and High Ropes Course excursion and the Volleyball Tournament! 

Catering is provided for all activities, and transport is available for some activities. 

Sign up for junior activities here (8-12 year olds) 

https://thehuddle.secure.force.com/r/huddleholidaysjunior 

Sign up for senior activities here (13-18 year olds) 

https://thehuddle.secure.force.com/r/huddleholidayssenior 

For more information contact: huddle@nmfc.com.au 

• The Satellite Foundation

The Satellite Foundation is a non-clinical service that promotes well-being through the use of creativity and connection of shared lived experience. They offer programs, camps and workshops that are all FREE for young people aged 8 - 25 who has a family member with a mental health challenge, big or small.

https://www.satellitefoundation.org.au/programs/program-calendar/

• Wellington Centre – African Drumming

The Wellington centre will be offering free African Drumming sessions for any interested young people. If this is something you might be keen in participating in, please contact Vieli on 0481 034 958.

You can find out more about the variety of supports the Wellington Centre can offer at:

https://thewellington.org.au/

• Melbourne Victory School Holiday Program

Melbourne Victory’s free Holiday Program for secondary students is back!

Two programs will run in the Summer School Holidays:

• 15 – 18 January for the South and East Schools (Auslan Interpreter available for students from schools in any area this week)
• 22 – 25 January for the North and West Schools

The Melbourne Victory Spring Holiday Program will provide secondary school students with the opportunity to engage with Melbourne Victory staff, coaches and players, as well as participate in excursions, education, and employment sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to develop leadership and teamwork skills, while also learning and improving their football skills and knowledge through daily training sessions and games. 

For more information contact:  community@mvfc.com.au

To registration visit: Melbourne Victory Football Club School Holiday Program

School Holiday Supports

While the wellbeing team won’t be available over the school holidays, there are

several services you can access over the school holidays if you need support.

• Kidshelpline – 1800 55 1800

A free telephone counselling service for young people aged between 5 and 25 years.

• Lifeline – 13 11 14

Free, 24/7 crisis support service that anyone can access.

• Headspace Collingwood – 9417 0150

Headspace is a free service for young people needing support with mental health, physical health (including sexual health), alcohol, as well as work and study support.

• eHeadspace - headspace.org.au/eheadspace

Don’t feel as comfortable speaking to someone over the phone? eheadspace provides free online support and counselling to young people 12 - 25 and their families and friends.

• Smiling Mind - smilingmind.com.au/smiling-mind-app

Smiling Mind is a free mindfulness app that has been developed by educations and psychologists.

This app comes highly recommended by the wellbeing team! Use this for at least 10 minutes a day for the best results.

• Your GP

Your family GP will be able to support you on accessing the support you need.

Mindfulness Exercise (Grounding)

Stress and anxiety are often big obstacles for our kids in managing everyday life (including school). Teaching your children useful stress management strategies is important to ensure that they are able to enjoy school as much as possible. This grounding technique is designed to ease your child’s state of mind at the start of the day, so that they can get through stressful or anxiety provoking moments. Our aim with this is to use the five senses to focus on the here and now, and move on from anxious thoughts that might be getting in the way. It’s helpful to join in with your children, when guiding them through this exercise.

5: Ask your child to name five things they can see. This might be objects in the room, trees outside the window, or family photos in the background.

4: Ask your child to name four things they can feel. This might be the ground beneath their feet, the chair they are sitting on, or even the clothes they are wearing

3. Ask your child to name three things they can hear. Focus on external noises. This might be the humming of a heater, cars outside, or even a clock ticking in the background.

4. Ask your child to name two things they can smell. This might be a little more difficult, but don’t give up. Get them to focus on small things, like the smell of food cooking in the background or the smell of grass in spring.

5. Ask your child to name one thing they can taste. It doesn’t have to be food, it could be the toothpaste you used in the morning, or the cereal you had for breakfast.

Ask your child to take a deep breath and finish the exercise.

If you need any more strategies for supporting your child, please reach out to Josh in the Student Wellbeing Team by calling him at the school on 9417 6681. Remember to please speak to your GP if you have any concerns about your child’s mental health.

Student Wellbeing Coordinator - Josh Whelan

My name is Josh Whelan, and I’m the new Student Wellbeing Coordinator at Collingwood College. I started working here in August, and already feel a strong connection to the amazing community at the school. My role involves assisting with the PSD and Disability Inclusion process and coordinating the Student Wellbeing Team in providing support to students and their families.  As a qualified Counsellor with a background in psychology (Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) and a Masters in Clinical Counselling), I have worked in similar roles across schools for the last 10 years. It has a become a real passion of mine to assist students in finding and overcoming any barriers to enjoying their education and living rich and fulfilling lives.

When I’m not supporting students, you can usually find me browsing my local record store or playing board games with friends.

Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Josh Whelan

Student Wellbeing Coordinator

QUICK GUIDE TO STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Parents please click on the attachment below for Resources available for students and parents to access:

Pride Club

Secondary Pride Club! Monday & Tuesday lunchtime Room 314. 

Primary Pride Club (Years 3-6)! Wednesday lunchtime 1:00 - 1:30pm Room (Kate)

For all students who support equality at Collingwood College!

Proud Pride Parents of Collingwood College

Please join us for an informal get together to celebrate our beautiful LGBTQIA+ kids.

Where: The Gem Bar & Dining- 289 Wellington st, Collingwood. 

When: The 2nd Wednesday of every month.

Time: 7pm.

RSVP: Patrice 0401 351 789 or bpmpublicity@gmail.com

All are very warmly welcome!!

SEXTING

Not sure what this is? Here is some information from the governments e-safety site https://www.esafety.gov.au/esafety-information/esafety-issues/sexting

FREE ASTHMA EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES AT COHEALTH

The Community Asthma Program provides free asthma education and support for children (under 18) with asthma and their families. In Melbourne’s inner North and Western suburbs

An asthma educator works with children and their families to:

• understand asthma, its signs and severity
• identify triggers and learn how to control them
• understand their medications and administer them correctly
• develop a written asthma action plan
• learn asthma first aid

The program is tailored to the individual child and family The Community Asthma educators are able to see children and parents/ carers at one of the many Cohealth sites or at home. The CAP educators are also able to visit schools, kindergartens and child care centres to educate staff to support the child.

To refer, fill out the attached referral or please contacts:

9448 6825 or CAP@cohealth.org.au

Ask Izzy - Links to Support Services

Ask Izzy is a website that provides families, students and teachers links to support services that offer assistance in a wide range of things such as housing, food, health, money, counselling, etc.

https://askizzy.org.au/

CYBERPARENT - INTERNET SAFETY

Australian Multicultural Foundation (AMF) product called CyberParent which is an interactive learning tool that aims to teach parents and families about how to use the internet safely. The app was launched in 17 different languages and AMF has received overwhelmingly positive responses from the community. Since then, AMF has developed a downloadable version of CyberParent, which has just been released on the Apple App Store.

CyberParent is available in 17 different languages, which can be found in different language packs on the App Store. This includes: 

Central Asia: 

- Dari | دری

- Farsi | فارسی 

- Pashto | افغانی

- Urdu | اُردُو

CyberParent is available to download from the App Store today! Click below to download now:

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/cyberparent/id1315897505?mt=8

HEALTH AND WELLBEING LINKS

As Australia’s largest national education-oriented charity, we support disadvantaged Australian children to participate fully in their education, giving them the best chance at breaking the cycle of disadvantage. Our learning support and mentoring programs help children in need to fit in at school, keep up with their peers, and build aspirations for a better future for them. The smith Family can provide financial support for families and children in need to assist them through school and education.

To get in touch with the Smith Family go to: https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/contact-us

Or call them on; 1300 326 459

Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds, along with assistance in promoting young peoples’ wellbeing. This covers four core areas: mental health, physical health, work and study support and alcohol and other drug services.  

Information and services for young people, their families and friends as well as health professionals can be accessed through this website; www.headspace.org.au , headspace centres, online counselling service eheadspace, and postvention suicide support program headspace School Support. 

Ph: 1800 650 890.

Since 1877, Berry Street has chosen to work with children, young people and families, with the most challenging and complex needs, including those for whom we are often the last resort. Last year, we helped over 18,000 of the most disadvantaged children, young people and families across our community.

We believe all children should have a good childhood, growing up feeling safe, nurtured and with hope for the future.

Services include; Family services (ChildFirst), Education and training, Family violence, Foster and Kinship care, residential care and youth services.

To contact Berry Street go to their website http://www.berrystreet.org.au/ or call them on; 9429 9266

3 million Australians are living with depression or anxiety

Beyondblue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.

Beyondblue has a 24hour helpline 1300 22 4636 and their website is https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

The Centre for Multicultural Youth is a Victorian not-for-profit organisation supporting young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds to build better lives in Australia.

Their purpose is to ensure that young people have every opportunity to succeed in Australia. Through a combination of specialist support services, training and consultancy, knowledge sharing and advocacy, we are working to remove the barriers young people face as they make Australia their home

Link: https://www.cmy.net.au/