Program Coordinator - Student Services

I'm excited to be able to write an article for the newsletter for the first time as Program Coordinator – Student Services. 

My role will oversee students' emotional and social well-being, coordinate the College's pastoral care program, and guide the student leadership team.  

Sickbay Conversion into the Student Services Centre.

I couldn't have hoped for a better beginning for the program, with many students and staff being involved in creating a welcoming space for all students. The program will be housed in the old sickbay building. 

Offices for the College's Psychologist, Bree Crockett, the College Chaplain (hopefully appointed soon) and myself will be all under one roof.  Several student groups have been formed that are responsible for renovating the building. We have a dedicated Interior Design Team that has chosen a new colour scheme and painting has begun. Gums n Roses will be responsible for selecting and caring for the indoor plants and surrounding lawn. All Creatures Great and Small will care for the therapy animals housed in and around the centre. Our final group, the Art Appreciation Society, has been meeting with Chris Henwood-Wimpenny, one of our domestic staff members, to design a mural for the front wall of the building. Chris has been fantastic in facilitating much discussion within the group on how to visually represent the ethos of student services at Denmark Ag.  

Pastoral Care

As the role involves a significant pastoral care component - acting as a conduit between students, families and school, please get in touch to discuss any concerns you may have with your child's well-being. Likewise, if you think your child would benefit from a friendly chat, send them my way. This is a common way students begin accessing the most appropriate support. It is planned to build on and extend the number of fantastic programs that students already access at the College, like Tomorrow Man/Tomorrow Woman and Teen Mental Health First Aid. I'd like to see a year-long program for each year level that instils a range of skills that support students' well-being.

Student Leadership 

Our young leaders at the College commit significant personal time to their roles, so it is essential to be strategic when planning their program to ensure they feel that their time is well spent. For this reason, the Social Change Model of student leadership development will be introduced and form the basis of the program. The Social Change Model prescribes highly participatory, non-hierarchical leadership and teaches students how to lead in three areas:

• Individual - students identify, foster, and develop those personal qualities that are most supportive of group functioning and positive social change.
• Group - students identify, foster, and develop collaborative leadership processes that facilitate the development of the desired individual qualities (above) but also to effect positive social change.
• Community - students identify and pursue service activities most effective in energising the group and in developing desired personal qualities in the individual.