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This is my fourth year at the College working in the Careers role and it has been a valuable experience working with students and parents. Career Development is a lifelong process that is unique for every person. The Careers Office is available to assist students with their career decision making and work experience placements for both ATAR and Year 10 students. At the start of Term 1, Year 10 students utilised our Career Tools website to work through career quizzes and then investigate careers and the subjects that are required for occupations that they aspire to undertake after senior schooling. The SET Plan process implemented by the College assisted students with subject choices to match their pathways. Students have been advised to undertake work experience or to speak with employers to get as much information about the role, subjects needed, and qualifications required. As we all know with the current situation, this has limited the opportunities for work placement. TAFE gave the Year 10 students an opportunity to attend two sessions with Try a Trade where they experienced Carpentry, Refrigeration & Airconditioning, Plumbing, Cabinet Making, Painting and Block Laying. The boys loved this opportunity and it helped them with their pathway choices for Year 11 and 12. The College held subject Information sessions for students at the end of Term 2 with Faculty Leaders and teachers available to answer questions from students. Also, information sessions were organised with TAFE North, Central Queensland University and James Cook University. We are indebted to these organisations for providing our community with the opportunity to obtain information in an efficient and effective manner.

Year 12 students considering university attended a Zoom session from QTAC during their ACAD lesson on how to apply to university, putting in their course preferences and ATAR registration. It is an important time for the Year 12 students as they endeavour to make informed choices for their possible futures. James Cook University offered the students an Early Offer application which the students took on board and this was incredibly successful with students applying for the degrees of their choice. CQUniversity had a similar arrangement where they could apply through a Principal's recommendation letter. Several students took this opportunity to apply for courses that were not on offer with JCU. Our VET Pathway provides opportunities for students to enter the workforce to experience various occupations first-hand. Students should always remember that learning is lifelong process and, at times, decisions will be made that are not always perfect but learning from mistakes is also an important part of the process! Phillip Dembowski | Careers Advisor

2020 in the Counselling space saw significant changes and challenges. Mrs Marilyn Parsons who had been a Student Counsellor at the College for the past 25 years, passed away after a brief illness. This rocked the IPC community. Given the significant contribution of Mrs Marilyn Parsons within the College community, a memorial page in this Magazine has been dedicated to her. We welcomed Mrs Val Derwent to the Student Counsellor role from the middle of Term 1. Ms Dannielle Charge and Mrs Val Derwent have provided counselling support to students, parents and staff throughout the year. In Term 1, the Student Counsellors supported the Peer Mentors in transitioning the new students to our college. As COVID-19 emerged, so did the move to online learning. Term 2 was a challenge for students, staff and parents. The school counsellors provided mental health and wellbeing tips for the school community, strategies to manage in this space, monitored students through Pastoral Care lessons and maintained connections with students.

The counselling team are usually involved in activities such as Hit the Hill and Healthy Minds, which were cancelled for the year due to COVID-19, however, we are looking forward to these initiatives in 2021.

The evidence-based program DRUMBEAT was again provided to Year 7 and 8 students at Ignatius Park College. The name DRUMBEAT is an acronym for helping participants in Discovering Relationships Using Music, Beliefs, Emotions, Attitudes and Thoughts. They should be very proud of their performance at Assembly in Term 3. Child Protection Week in 2020 was in Week 9 of Term 3. It was a busy week with home room quizzes, guess the teachers baby photo competition, and selling of popcorn and soft drinks (which was generously donated by old boy Stephen Lazzaroni from Poparazzi Kettle Popcorn). Due to this fundraising activity, along with the donations from the students for wearing red, we were able to donate $1,000 to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. This will continue to assist this foundation in educating children and young people about how to stay safe in physical and online environments and to support young victims of crime. We also had our Adopt-a-Cops Tracey Baker and her colleagues visit for our Day for Daniel. Support for parents for Child Protection Week included Susan McLean from Cyber Safety Solutions presenting a webinar to our parents called Growing Up Online. Earlier in the year, personal safety talks were presented to all Year 7s by Mrs Timbs in her role as the Student Protection Contact. In Homeroom and House Assemblies during Child Protection Week. Students also had PowerPoint presentations and discussions about how to keep themselves safe and who to access for support. Mental Health Week was in the first week of Term 4. The focus for this year was a continuation of the Year 12 students’ theme of You are not invisible. A paper plane making and flying competition which is the symbol of the campaign was held, the Chalk it or Talk It activity was also held during lunch time which focused on messages of hope and courage. Daily 'spin and wins' were held with students receiving LIVIN and Headspace merchandise as prizes to continue the discussion regarding accessing support for their mental health. Dannielle Charge and Val Derwent Student Counsellors