Counsellor/Wellbeing 

Welcome to Term 1, 2023! A particularly warm welcome to our new families and staff who have joined us and are now part of the extended Marian College community. 

The new school year brings many changes. Students transitioning into Secondary College; students into new classes, subjects and new teachers; staff learning new roles and challenges. Whilst change can be daunting, it creates the opportunity for growth. Over the past few years, we have faced many challenges navigating new ways of living with Covid 19. The important thing to remember is that we have built resilience and by working together, supporting and caring for each other. Let’s continue to do so.

For those new to the College, I want to share a great wellbeing resource, School TV. School TV provides information and practical strategies on a wide range of topics from leading specialists. It is accessible from mobile, tablet or desktop and is designed for Australian schools. Every month there is a new topic introduced by Dr Michael Carr–Gregg, along with an archive of past topics. The information is compiled by leading experts but is in simple, easy to understand, bite sized pieces, enabling you to become informed and empowered to support young people into adulthood.

Our new MCC families may find the School transitions topic on School TV very helpful. There are a range of resources that address the challenges of transitioning to secondary school and provide helpful advice on ways to support both yourself and your young person. Please take some time to check it out.  

With Safer Internet Day on February 7, and many students online and digital world expanding with new school devices and possible mobile phones (while not allowed to be used at school), another great resource to get to know is the eSafetyCommissioner.

eSafety is an independent statutory office supported by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and is the world's first government agency committed to keeping its citizens safer online. eSafety has powers and regulatory functions relating to cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and illegal and harmful online content, with the aim to safeguard Australians at risk of online harms and promote safer, more positive online experiences.

There are many great resources available. The Parents page provides webinars, resources and advice to help parents support children to stay safe online and also how to communicate effectively with their children about various topics. While the Young People Page provides advice on various different topics in an easy to understand format to help support young people. Topics include cyberbullying, trolling, protecting your identity, nudes, fake news, consent and keeping your online accounts secure.

The eSafety Commissioner channel on clickview also has some great videos which can be great to start a conversation with your child or educate them about safe and respectful online experiences. Check it out here.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your young person’s wellbeing, please reach out to their Pastoral Leader or myself. 

Best wishes for Term 1. 

Karen Surian College/School Counsellor