Wellbeing News

Mental Health Week at Wantirna College

Every year during Mental  Health Week, the Wellbeing Centre aims to encourage the promotion of social and emotional wellbeing within the school through fun and educational programs.  This is what our week looked like for 2016:

Monday marked the start of Mental Health Week with a stall at Springfest.  The Wellbeing Centre provided free face-painting which was a huge success!  The Wellbeing team also went a bit Miami Ink and set up an artificial tattoo station.  In line with Mental Health Week, students were asked to  vote on the most relevant issues to them at this time.  Many students felt that all 4 of the issues suggested were ones that they were dealing with, but in the end, "Bullying" and "Stress" (quoting exam time) appeared to be the jars with the most beads.  Third and forth place go to the jars labelled “Identity” and "Relationships".  All jars were well represented as relevant issues, and it was great to see students having open conversations about these issues as well.

Tuesday was Mindfulness Day in the Wellbeing Lunchroom.  We had some discussion in the wellbeing room around mental health week and mindfulness, and some interactive posters.  One poster encouraged students to post ways in which to pay kindness forward, and the other encouraged them to share kind words for themselves.  The ‘54321’ or ‘5 senses’ Mindfulness Exercise was written on the board for students to try.  The 54321 technique asks you to focus on your senses in order to calm the physiological symptoms of stress and anxiety.  If you would like to know more about this common mindfulness exercise, the following link has a great description: http://www.clayton.edu/Portals/541/docs/Five%20Senses%20Mindfulness%20Exercise.pdf

On Wednesday we hosted a DJ dance party in the courtyard.  Plenty of students  were out enjoying the warm sun and rad beats.   Counsellors were also out promoting the Wellbeing Centre to students and handing out more free lollies!

Thursday was all about the importance of healthy eating for maintaining good mental health.  We had some healthy snacking options on offer such as homemade hommus and pita chips, veggie sticks, and fresh fruit!  We also gave out some free samples of dark chocolate and green tea along with a list of good other good brain foods such as nuts, berries, fruit, and plenty of water (RecoverhealthNow.com).

On Friday we hosted a scavenger hunt.  We had lots of participants on the run looking for Mental Health related questions which were hidden around the school. A grand prize was offered to the team who were the first ones to provide the correct answers to all 8 questions, and all students were rewarded a chuppa-chup or chocolate on completion.  Here are the questions and answers for anyone who wants to try the quiz….

1. How much exercise should you do each day?

A. 10 minutes                             B. 20 minutes

C. 30 minutes                             D. 1 hour

E. Exercise is for chumps

2. How many hours of sleep should we have at night?

A. 5-6 hours                               B. 7-8 hours

C. 8-9 hours                               D. 9-10 hours

E. It doesn’t matter how much sleep you have.

3. What have studies shown to be the most common concerns for young people?

A. School Worries                B. Stress in General

C. Body Image                      D. All of the above

E. What to wear on the week-end.

4. How many serves of fruit and vegetables should you have a day?

A. 1 Fruit + 4 Veg.                     B. 2 Fruit + 3 Veg.

C. 2 Fruit + 5 Veg.                     D. 3 Fruit + 2 Veg.

E. 1 strawberry milk + 1 carrot cake

5. Where can you get help if you are feeling down, stressed or anxious?

A. Your GP     B. Wellbeing Centre Counsellor

C. Trusted Adult/Parent        D. Kid’s Help Line

E. Any of the above

6. How do you see a counselor at the Wellbeing Centre? Pick all that apply:

A. Drop in and talk to Wellbeing

B. Fill In a green form on the door of the Wellbeing Office.

C. Speak to a teacher.

D. Phone call from your parent.

E. Any of the above

7. When should someone ask for help (eg: if they are struggling like feeling down, hard to concentrate, change in appetite, tired, feeling anxious)

A. Today                                     B. In Two Weeks

C. In One Month                       D. In 4-6 Months

E. Never

8. How many people suffer from Mental Health Issues in Australia?

A. 1 in 50                                   B. 1 in 25

C. 1 in 67.33333…                    D. 1 in 10

E. 1 in 5

Answers:  1C, 2B, 3D, 4C, 5E, 6E, 7B, 8E

If you need advice or assistance, please contact the Wellbeing Centre, or call the Kid's Helpline on 1 800 55 1800, the Parent Help Line on 13 22 89, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.  

Student Eye Care at Wantirna College

This year we were lucky enough to be part of the Student Eye Care program, the first year it has been implemented in Melbourne schools. All Wantirna students were offered the opportunity of an eye test, conducted by an optometrist right here at Wantirna College. Throughout Term 3 and 4 over 200 students took up the oppotunity to have an eye test, with students and their families receiving written feedback. Our visiting optometrist, Leonie, remarked on how wonderful it was to have students coming back to visit her, showing off their brand new glasses. Hopefully the eye assessments have helped students prioritise their ocular health and  this will have positive outcomes in the classroom. Student EyeCare will return to the College in three years time.

Katrina Katz

Leader Student Wellbeing