Pastoral Care Report – October 12, 2017

Mental Health Week is celebrated each year for a week in October, which is marked by World Mental Health Day on October 10.- This week, the members of the Student Wellbeing Council have been hard at work throughout the year preparing for this week. The Student Wellbeing Council is a student leadership group made up of twelve passionate students, whose mission is to promote student wellbeing and to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health. In particular, to encourage young men to seek help when needed. The student leaders in this council created a series of messages that have been read out to all pastoral care classes throughout the week.- Please see below the messages the Student Wellbeing Council have promoted to all students this week:

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MENTAL HEALTH WEEK – What is Mental Health?

The Australian Government’s National Mental Health Plan defines mental health as: -not simply the absence of mental illness but more a state of emotional and social wellbeing in which the individual can cope with the normal stresses of life and achieve his or her potential.- Mental health, just like physical health is something which everyone has. It can range from good to poor, and also change over time. Good mental health helps us form positive relationships with others, handle ups and downs, and generally enjoy life. Poor mental health can result in feelings sad and drained at stages. Mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time. We all know what it’s like to be sad, angry, afraid, or upset, and everyone will experience a range of these feelings.-

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MENTAL HEALTH WEEK -“ What is Mental Health Week

Mental Health Week aims to activate, educate and engage Victorians about mental health, through a week of interactive events across the state, including an official launch, community festivals, art exhibitions, music, theatre and seminars.-

From its beginnings in 1985, the week has grown to encompass hundreds of events, organised by a multitude of individuals, community groups and service providers throughout the state. Much of the effort of running Mental Health Week comes from dedicated volunteers committed to promoting mental wellbeing, furthering knowledge about mental health and eliminating the stigma surrounding mental illness. As co-ordinator of Mental Health Week in Victoria, the Mental Health Foundation of Australia is delighted to have the active involvement and participation of state and federal governments, as well as non-government organisations and community-based health and social impact agencies. Every year on the 10th of October marks World Mental Health Day.- -‹

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MENTAL HEALTH WEEK – Getting help

There are multiple sources where you can seek support with mental health. Beyond blue and Headspace are both great websites where students can gather advice on what you can to if you are in need of help.- Research shows that high levels of mental health are associated with increased learning, creativity and productivity, more pro-social behaviour and positive social relationships, and with improved physical health and life expectancy. Within our college community, you can also seek help from your pastoral care teacher, year level coordinators, and our counselling team.

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MENTAL HEALTH WEEK — Maintaining and improving your mental health

Maintaining and improving mental health can be something that most young people struggle with.- As the Student Wellbeing Council, we have come up with 5 simple and easy ways to maintain and improving your mental health:

1. Keep Active – Moving and becoming physically active is- a great- first step in achieving not only- a healthy body but also a healthy- mind.

2. Talk about your feelings – If you are feeling worried or stressed, no matter how insignificant it may seem, it is important that you talk to someone about it, this may be parents, friends, teachers or even the school counsellor.

3. Surround yourself with good people – Hanging out with people who value you for who you are and treat you with respect will make you feel incredibly good about yourself.

4. Have some quiet time – Ensure that amongst the stresses and noise of high school and being a teenager in general, take some time out to be by yourself and appreciate the quiet.

5. Value yourself – Realise- your full potential and strive to be the best you can be in all of your endeavours.

This coming Tuesday will see the Student Wellbeing Council lead a whole school assembly, dedicated to celebrating Mental Health Week. The assembly will involve a guest speaker from Ballarat Headspace, as well as a series of videos, promoting the concepts of stress management and looking out for your friends.

Keeping Safe: Information for- Parents

As part of St Patrick’s College mission to create a safe and secure learning environment for our students, it is crucial that our broader community of parents are well-informed with the latest information and research available, so we can work as partners to keep our students safe.- This week’s focus is to outline the third unit of the Keeping Safe curriculum: -‘Recognising and reporting abuse’.

For junior and middle school students, this component of the curriculum re-focuses on the group norms operating in the classroom, and defines the concept of personal space, in the context of public and private spaces in which students exist in a contemporary world. This also is defined in the context of privacy. The focus area also defines abuse, as well as exploring how abuse is recognized, and the related warning signs that students may experience or witness.- This unit also explores the impacts of cyber-related abuse, where students begin to develop an awareness of the internet, in the context of protecting themselves. For senior students, this component of the curriculum is similar to the junior and middle school, however, concepts such as grooming and digital reputations are explored in greater depth

I would encourage you to maintain an open dialogue with your sons regarding the importance of continuing to build a network of trusted people in their lives, and to maintain a currency of knowledge with regards to safe use of the Internet and digital devices.

Whole Year Level Programs -“ Semester two

Please take note of the following date:

• Monday 27^th– November -“ The Resilience Project -“ All Year 10 students

For more information on our Pastoral Care program, please visit:

https://www.stpats.vic.edu.au/en/st-patricks-college/pastoral-care/

I would encourage all students and parents to fully engage and participate in all of our wellbeing programs on offer, as they are an integral element of our broader mission to educate the whole person.

Kind regards,

Bradley Murray

Pastoral Care Coordinator