Student Wellbeing

Anthea Pearson

2021 was certainly the year that we all needed to focus on Wellbeing. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 lockdowns, we were unable to have all our organised guest speakers and events. I was very thankful that our Home Based Learning program did enable students to have regular contact with teachers and classmates throughout the lockdown for student wellbeing.

The focus again this year was on building and maintaining Respectful Relationships. Our students are learning the meaning of respect and the importance of being respectful. Students learn that respect means you accept somebody for who they are, even when they’re different from you or you don’t agree with them. That respect in your relationships builds feelings of trust, safety, and wellbeing. As well as realising that respect may not come naturally – it is something you learn.

We did manage to have Respectful Relationships talks from Senior Constable Peter Hughes. Students participated in talks on the following topics:

• Respect – how to create and maintain respectful relationships with peers and adults • The importance of treating women with respect and equality, • Bullying and how it affects others, • How to be cyber safe

Year 12 students participated in a Wellbeing Day on 15 June. They spent the morning in a seminar, “Secret Bloke’s Business”, with guest speaker, Brent Sanders, a former policeman. The seminar addressed three key elements: taking responsibility for yourself and your actions, making right choices and the importance of respect and self-discipline. The afternoon session focused on driving rights and responsibilities with Senior Constable Peter Hughes. The following topics were covered throughout the day:

• Dealing with peer pressure (drink driving) • Actions and consequences • Alcohol and drugs • Self-discipline and respect • Aggression vs Assertion • Learning from your mistakes • Consent: Legal definitions, Complaint process, When “No” means “No”

2021 proved our students benefit from learning to calm their thoughts, check in with each other, ask for help personally or for their friends, and the importance of being kind and respectful to each other and themselves to create meaningful and long lasting healthy respectful relationships.

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