A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Wellbeing has become a buzzword in our lives, and rightly so. For us, as part of Sherborne Girls’ first Wellbeing Ambassadors programme, we have learned that it’s all about community.

The role which older students play in supporting younger girls within our mixed-age boarding houses is key to creating a supportive and positive environment where girls are known, cared for and feel a sense of belonging. Here two of our Wellbeing Ambassadors share some of their reflections on wellbeing at Sherborne Girls and what they have learnt.

‘Whether it is on a small scale through meaningful relationships with friends, or giving back to the wider community, a sense of value and satisfaction can be found through kindness to others, and this is the legacy that we wish to leave as Wellbeing Ambassadors.

As we headed into this busy exam term, with the memory of our own GCSEs still fresh in our minds, we wanted to take the opportunity to pass down some of the experience and wisdom we had gained. We arranged a time to come together with the U5 (Year 11) girls to give advice on revision, stress coping mechanisms, time management and personal wellbeing. It was so nice to be able to help them as they enter a stressful couple of months. They all said that they felt much more prepared after talking to us. We also gained real personal satisfaction from being able to help others succeed.

We discovered that the wisdom gained from shared experiences such as this can alter perspectives positively and create a sense of safety and mutual respect.

Being in a boarding environment, one of the most crucial aspects of school life is the relationship with those around you. Being with such supportive, fun and kind friends has shaped our time at school in an incredibly positive way. The ability to balance our busy school lives with social interactions, whether at group socials or merely chatting with friends, reduces stress and generally provides a sense of self-worth. We have come to recognise wellbeing as not only how we are doing as individuals but as a cohesive community.

At Sherborne Girls, we are offered a plethora of opportunities to do our part for the community at a local, national and global level. That could be volunteering with the youth club in Sherborne or spending time with the residents of Trinity Manor Care Home, helping at Brownies or mentoring children via Skype in a slum village in Kenya through the EdClub Movement. The girls really value these opportunities, which benefit all parties involved. We have also both taken part in volunteering in the Sherborne community this year. I worked at Sherborne Food Bank during the Easter break and Ella has helped the pupils in the Pre-Prep at Sherborne Prep learn to read on a weekly basis. Working at Sherborne Food Bank, I gained a much better sense of perspective on my life. I have donated to the Food Bank previously but it is not until you are faced with making sure all the people on the other side of these donations receive the provisions they need that you really understand why this work is so necessary. sherborne.com

Having the opportunity to volunteer with the Food Bank alongside such lovely people was such a great experience and one that I feel is truly valuable, both for me personally and the community. Helping in Sherborne Pre-Prep also made Ella feel proud to be able to give some of her time back. Wellbeing can often be seen as something that is personal to oneself, and as such, the benefit of helping others to help yourself is often overlooked.

As Wellbeing Ambassadors, we have been able to try and improve the wellbeing of others around us. A key highlight was Press Pause Day, when the whole school came off timetable for the day to stop, relax, unwind, laugh and reflect together, in the middle of a busy term. Pupils and staff were given the opportunity to design their own perfect day, choosing from a range of activities, including creative workshops, inspiring talks, singing, cookery, quiet reading, mindful colouring, yoga, mindfulness, dance and fitness classes, 5- and 10-kilometre runs, golf, or whole-day walks for those who love exercise and the outdoors.

It can be a challenge to find the right balance in our busy lives and this is something we will continue to strive for. In amongst a vastly busy day, we often forget that we need to make time for ourselves and others. The value of watching TV, listening to music or going on a walk shouldn’t be underestimated. As Wellbeing Ambassadors, we have taken the initiative to ensure that each boarding house has a quiet space for people to unwind – an especially important space during exam season – and that we encourage our peers to remember to ‘press pause’.

It has been a privilege to be an Ambassador this year and to be able to support our peers and the younger girls. We have learnt that we are better together as a community and that the greatest sense of fulfilment comes from helping others.

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