Student Wellbeing News

Year 10 Consent Program

We are excited to announce that our Year 10 students will soon be participating in a new and vital program on consent education. This initiative is part of the Victorian Government's commitment to promoting respectful relationships within the school curriculum.

The program is designed to educate students about the importance of consent in various aspects of life, including personal boundaries, communication, and the development of healthy respectful relationships. Through engaging activities and thoughtful discussions, our students will gain valuable insights that will serve them well both now and in the future.

We believe that this education is crucial for fostering a safe and supportive environment for all our students. The program will be integrated into their regular classes, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to participate and learn.

We are grateful for your continued support as we work together to provide our students with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate their relationships with respect and understanding.

If you have any questions, please contact Maddie at maddison.sill@education.vic.gov.au

Maddie Sill

Mental Health Practitioner

Doing Drugs with Paul Dillon – A Podcast for Parents/Carers

Paul Dillon has been working in drug education for 30 years and is the founder of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA)

Doing Drugs with Paul Dillon

This podcast examines issues relating to alcohol and other drugs that many parents/carers are likely to face. It provides practical advice and strategies and has been developed to help parents/carers to safely navigate through this often-challenging time of adolescence & transition in a young person’s life. 

Each podcast is approximately 25 minutes and covers advice on vaping, how to talk with your child about drugs, alcohol and parties

The DARTA website also provides expert resources and information on a wide range of alcohol and other drug content. Click on the links below!

DARTA | Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia

Fact Sheets - DARTA

Podcasts - DARTA

Shelley Beasley Adolescent Health Nurse  (Wellbeing team)

EDSC Community Kitchen: Serving our Community with Heartfelt Meals

In the spirit of compassion and togetherness, we are partnering with Neuma Church in launching a Community Kitchen - dedicated to providing nourishing meals to families facing challenges in our community. Whether it's due to financial hardships, medical concerns, single parenting, loss of loved ones, or simply being overwhelmed with commitments, we are here to offer support and comfort through our meals.

How We Help

Our mission is to ensure that no family goes hungry and that everyone in our community receives a warm, home-cooked meal when they need it most. Our dedicated volunteers prepare and distribute meals with care, aiming to bring relief and a sense of belonging to those who are struggling.

Join Us in Making a Difference

We invite you to be a part of this heartfelt initiative. Whether you have a passion for cooking or simply want to lend a helping hand, your involvement can make a significant impact. There are numerous ways you can contribute:

• Join Our Cooking Sessions: Participate in one of our group cooking sessions, where you can cook and share a meal together (set dates) 
• Prepare Meals at Home: Cook meals in your own home at your own pace and bring to school to be stored in our central freezer until needed
• Financial Contributions: Your donations will help us purchase essential ingredients, takeaway containers, cooler bags, pantry items, and other supplies needed for our Community Kitchen. 
• Donation of pantry goods

Get Involved

Are you ready to make a meaningful contribution? If you're interested in volunteering, cooking meals, or donating, we would love to hear from you. Please click on the link below to learn more about how you can join the Community Kitchen.

https://forms.gle/jEDVQMsqv6zp7XZ86

Together, we can create a community where everyone feels supported and cared for. Thank you for your commitment to helping those in need.

Amal Saleh-Zada

Director of Wellbeing

Let’s cook up some kindness and serve our community with love!

Cybersafety and Responsible Use of Digital Technologies 

The following resources are available to parents and carers to assist them with guiding their children with the use of digital technology in a safe and responsible way. Parents and carers are their child's first role model when it comes to online behaviour. Please find information to assist parents and carers when dealing with Cybersafety issues: 

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents 

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/services-for-parents/Pages/parentline.aspx

https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/counselling-support-services

The following fact sheet may assist in encouraging the safe and respectful use of social media and to provide tips to parents for being a positive role model:

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/programs/bullystoppers/parentsocialmediaschoolcommunity.pdf

If parents/carers have any questions regarding Cybersafety or Digital Learnings in Schools and our Mobile Phone Policy, please contact Reception. 

Cameron Campbell

Assistant Principal

Food & Financial Support

As we are all aware, the cost of living is increasing. We realise that this might be causing some distress to members of the EDSC community. If you are experiencing financial difficulties or food insecurity please look at the website www.askizzy.org.au. This website can help you locate services for food, money, clothing, health & housing in your area. 

The College is able to provide a range of food to families within the community. Foodbank Victoria provide EDSC fresh fruit, cereals, milk, different types of ready meals, fruit cups and Messy Monkey snacks. If you and your family are experiencing food insecurity, please contact the school to arrange a food collection. For a confidential conversation, please call Maddie Sill on 9842-2244.

Please also note that if your child forgets their lunch they can come to the Wellbeing Hub to access the pantry.

Breakfast Club

The Wellbeing Team believes that offering high school students a Breakfast Club can significantly promote physical health, mental wellbeing, academic success, and a positive school culture.

The Breakfast Club will take place every Monday from 8:15 am to 8:45 am at the Wellbeing Hub.

All students are welcome to join us for free healthy breakfast options. A group of community volunteers will run the Breakfast Club, and we kindly ask that you show respect and appreciation for their time and effort.

When: Every Monday

Where: Wellbeing Hub

Who: All students are welcome

Time: 8:15 am – 8:45 am

Cost: Free

We hope to see you there and look forward to a great time! 

Request for Uniform Donations

The Wellbeing Team provide second-hand uniforms for students in need. We are asking for uniform items, in good condition to be donated to the Wellbeing Team. Specifically, we are looking for dresses, shirts, pants, jackets and any sports uniform in larger sizes. 

If you require uniforms for your child, please contact the Wellbeing Team for support.

Wellbeing Team

Wellbeing Staff

For more information about Wellbeing at the College, please visit the following link .. 

Child Safety Standards

East Doncaster Secondary College is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision making.

East Doncaster Secondary College has zero tolerance for child abuse.

East Doncaster Secondary College is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.

Every person involved in East Doncaster Secondary College has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

In our planning, decision making and operations, all personnel at East Doncaster Secondary College will:

• Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety;
• Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives;
• Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children
• Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount;
• Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children;
• Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development;
• Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues;
• Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities;
• Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk; and
• Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers.