Wellbeing Notices

Mental Health Day

As part of Mental Health Week, Staughton College’s Wellbeing Team held a Mental Health Day. The purpose of the program was to raise school and community awareness about mental health and promote social and emotional wellbeing. It also hopes to encourage students to maximise their health potential and coping capacity.

The Wellbeing Team sought to promote mental health wellbeing and tolerance, and foster respect for young people in our community. Studies have found that young people are more prone to mental illness when socially isolated or stigmatised, leading to poor academic outcomes, employment issues and unsociable behaviour.

To launch the inaugural Mental Health Day, Staughton College hosted a lunch time program with fun activities, information stalls, air brush art work, arts and craft, games and music.

Students and staff were invited to take a mental health break over lunch and celebrate the diversity of community agencies.

Assisting on the day were Tamara Thorsen and Frank Newah-Jarfoi, members of the Melton Youth Services: Young Communities Team.

Two members of Victoria Police, Snr Constable Karina Richmond and Leading Snr Constable Cassie Norman from the Proactive Policing Unit provided information and positivity, having a stall where students and staff could access Vic Police.

Michael Walsh, sports coordinator at Reclink Australia, was able to run a healthy body program with a yoga session for staff and students.

Also in attendance from Head Space Melton were Luke Hartley and Alice Galea who provided information and facilitated activities that had students making posters that promote health awareness in the school community.

Airbrush artist, Kat Tsaroumis was also here to create artistic tattoos for the students.

Lachie Mckenzie and Sarah Quirk from Banyule Community Health provided valuable health information on gaming and the effects of gambling on young people.

Staff and students reported the day was extremely successful and they are looking forward to it happening again next year.

MICHAEL MALADY

Secondary School Nurse 

Wellbeing Team