Well Being News
It Takes Courage To Say Something
Stymie helps your child to say something by enabling them to report all kinds of concerns, safely and anonymously.
At MNSC we celebrated the launch of STYMIE which is an anonymous harm reporting tool that we are proactively using to support our students to say something without fear. Stymie works with school communities both nationally and internationally, to connect students with their empathy and conscience so that they can, in an empowered and courageous way, enhance or change the culture of care in their school.
We participated in the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence on Friday 18 August 2023. This year, the NDA is Growing connections with each other, with our schools and our communities to create positive action for Australia’s key bullying prevention initiative.
Together we can make a change. Everyone has a role to play for bullying prevention. The NDA promotes the importance of school, parent and community connections to build safe and supportive learning environments.
ANXIETY
Anxiety is a normal part of life and can affect anyone. Sometimes, if anxiety becomes overwhelming and doesn’t go away, it can be a sign of a more serious anxiety disorder. However, with treatment and support from family and friends, anxiety can be managed. What is anxiety? Anxiety is the feeling you get when you feel tense, when you might breathe a little fast, when your heart starts to race, and when you’re worried about the situation you’re in or what might come next.
A bit of anxiety from time to time is normal, especially for teenagers. It can help with motivation around school, sport, or work, and can help keep them out of danger. But if these anxious feelings don’t go away, they can interfere with concentrating at school, socialising with friends, or enjoying life.
How does anxiety affect teenagers?
Anxiety disorders can be especially serious for young people because they are still developing. If left untreated, anxiety disorders in teenagers can have long-term effects that can continue into adulthood. Signs of an anxiety disorder include:
- feeling constantly agitated, tense, or restless
- having physical signs, including sore muscles, a racing heart, sweating, headache, stomach aches or shortness of breath
- being sensitive to criticism or extremely self-conscious
- having unhelpful, irrational, and negative thoughts
- always expecting the worst to happen
- avoiding difficult or new situations
- being withdrawn
- having trouble concentrating and starting or finishing schoolwork
- having trouble sleeping
PARENTS
By starting a conversation and showing your concern and willingness to support them, you’re giving them an opportunity to share what they are going through. This can make all the difference in ensuring they get any support they might need.
Link information on talking to a young person
Video How to have the conversation
More information: Anxiety | What is Anxiety & The Effects in Young People | headspace
The Wellbeing Team can help with anxiety or speak to your GP. Early intervention is essential. For more information, please contact the Wellbeing team, your GP or call the below support services that are available to support students and families.
Pornography Vs Reality Webinar
Please see below an invitation to a webinar presented by Elephant Ed on Pornography vs Reality.
When: 7:15pm – 8:15pm, Monday 21st August 2023
Topic: Pornography vs Reality
Elephant Ed is a leading sexuality education provider to hundreds of schools around Australia. Elephant Ed's workshops are evidence-based, age-appropriate and mapped to State and National curriculum guidelines. Elephant Ed is endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider.
This webinar will include the following key discussion points:- Statistics and prevalence of exposure to pornography amongst young people- Impact of exposure, including key distortions- Strategies to start effective conversations at home.
You are required to register in advance for this webinar. Please use the link below to register.
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W0v28L7uRv-Jk7U9fuM83w
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
“WIRED “ Brainstorm Production
On August 1st Brainstorm Productions presented their student wellbeing performance ‘Wired' for the Years 7 & 8 students at MNSC. The performance followed the journey of two students who were struggling to manage their mental health, relationships and online experiences. When their worlds collided, the audience helped them find a different path.
Wired is an interactive theatre experience that tackles some of the big issues affecting Australian students, including social isolation, anxiety, stress, depression, (cyber)bullying, online safety, school stressors and pressure from social media. It addresses barriers to help-seeking and provides strategies for resilience, problem-solving, goal-setting and positive mental health.
‘Wired' is part of our student wellbeing curriculum and has been developed by education and mental health professionals. This engaging live show used humour, audience participation, relatable characters and real student experiences to spark conversations and facilitate further learning in the classroom.
Brainstorm Productions is one of Australia’s most experienced and respected theatre in education companies, performing to over 260,000 students every year. They offer a range of programs to help schools nurture healthy and harmonious environments, addressing issues such as mental health, online safety, bullying and resilience. They are endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider and are listed as an evidence-based program on the Victorian Schools Mental Health Menu. Learn more about Brainstorm Productions by visiting their website (brainstormproductions.edu.au), or following them on Instagram (@brainstormproductions_) or Facebook (@Brainstorm.Productions).
