The Student Health & Wellbeing Team and Associated Supporting Service Providers
Wellbeing is a multi-layered concept encompassing physical, social, emotional and mental health which has the capacity to influence how we feel about ourselves, others and life in general.
Because we know that good health and wellbeing is integral to learning, and positive changes in mental health outcomes will support improved learning and achievement outcomes for secondary school students. Here at NGSC the Student Wellbeing Team assists young people to achieve their educational and developmental potential, by providing strategies and specialised support at individual, group, school and network levels. We work in collaboration with a variety of services to intervene early with young people who have additional needs or are at risk of disengagement.
Student Wellbeing is headed by a Student Wellbeing Team Leader. The team leader coordinates service provision:
- Within the Student Wellbeing Team
- To external service providers
Student Wellbeing is a point of contact for consultations, support and referrals. The team works collaboratively within the school and with the broader community service sector. The team consists of:
- Social Workers
- a Youth Worker
- a Mental Health Practitioner (Click for more info)
- a School Nurse (Click for more info)
- a School Chaplain (Click for more info)
Student Wellbeing services are vital to responding to the needs of young people at NGSC. From whole school health and wellbeing promotion, development and provision of groups, participation in supportive meetings to offering individual student sessions. Student wellbeing is an integral support for the college community.
Student Wellbeing encourages and supports RUok? Day, Healthy Eating Week, IDAHOBIT Day, White Ribbon Day and Mufti days to raise awareness in the school.
Student Wellbeing provides classroom education on; seeking help, healthy relationship, supporting a friend, communication, sexual health, alcohol and other drugs, cyber safety, risk taking behaviours and health promotion.
Doctors In Secondary Schools (DISS)
This initiative funds general practitioners (GPs) to attend up to 100 Victorian government secondary schools up to one day a week. The GPs provide medical advice and health care to those students most in need. The objectives of the program are to:
- make primary health care more accessible to students
- provide assistance to young people to identify and address any health problems early
- reduce the pressure on working parents.
For more information click here
Bellarine Community Health Psychologist
Bellarine Community Health provides counselling support to students 1 day a week
CatholicCare
CatholicCare provides support to students/families 2 days a week and groups to strengthen school community networks
The Geelong Project
The Geelong Project operating out of BCYF has 2 caseworkers based at NGSC 1 day a week
The Student Wellbeing Team offers referrals to external agencies as needed. The following is a list of services we are lined in with:
- Barwon Child Youth and Families (BCYF)
- Barwon Health
- Bethany Family Services
- CatholicCare Refugee Services
- Centrelink
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- Jigsaw
- Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
- Diversitat
- Drummond St
- Headspace & eHeadspace
- Local Doctors & Paediatricians
- MacKillop Child and Family Services
- MacKillop Education
- Orange Door
- Refugee Nurse
- The Salvation Army
- Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre
- State Schools Relief Charity
- Student Support Services Geelong North Network
- Uniting Barwon
- Victoria Police
Mental Health Practitioner
Operating in collaboration with the Department’s Area-based multi-disciplinary teams, the practitioner’s role has the following functions:
- providing direct counselling support and other early intervention services for individual students identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns
- providing direct counselling support and other early intervention services for small groups (where appropriate) ï coordinating supports (both within and external to the school) for students with critical needs, including proactively working with regions and other health professionals to engage further support as required
- enhancing mental health promotion and prevention activities in the school by contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to manage student health and wellbeing, and helping to embed mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school.
Link to the Department of Education and Training Mental Health Practitioner role description
School Nurse
The Secondary School Nursing Program (SSNP) aims to support the health and wellbeing of secondary school students in targeted secondary schools, with a focus on health promotion and primary prevention to improve student health, wellbeing and learning outcomes. Activities of the SSN may include health promotion, health education including classroom and small group sessions, and limited primary health care including student assessment, referral and support. The SSN works collaboratively with students, teachers, wellbeing staff, school leadership and school communities to build capability and improve health outcomes.
Link to the Department of Education and Training Secondary School Nurse role description
DET Video weblink
School Chaplain
Schools engage chaplains to support the educational, social and emotional wellbeing of students. The aim of a chaplain is to support the emotional wellbeing of students by providing pastoral care services and strategies that support the emotional wellbeing of the broader school community.
They work closely with wellbeing and allied health staff in schools to support students and their educational outcomes, staff, families and the wider school community.
- work as a member of the school’s wellbeing team in the delivery of student wellbeing services
- contribute to improving student engagement and connectedness
- contribute to providing a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment
- provide pastoral care and guidance to students
- operate within the school community and with external providers.
Link to the Department of Education and Training School Chaplain role description
- Provision of a Meeting Room for external professionals to meet with students at the school
- A Breakfast Club Program that is available to all students, 5 days a week
- Lunches for eligible students
- Financial Hardship Scholarship applications
A dynamic and evolving list of lunchtime groups are provided for any students who wish to participate in lunchtime activities. All groups are supervised and any required resources are provided by Student Wellbeing. The Student Wellbeing Team encourages students to share their ideas for new and exciting groups and makes every effort to accommodate student needs.
Click the groups below for more info
Anime Club
Anime Club is a relaxing social group where comic-con, anime and gaming enthusiasts come together to draw, share information and use technology devices to play games with each other to build social networks.
Bijou Art Workshop
Jewellery making Bijou art workshops are a great way to relax, unwind and learn some new skills to enable students to express their creativity. A relaxed environment is provided with lots of support and materials to help students learn and practice their new skills.
Bust a Move: Dance Group
Dancing is an opportunity for our students to build positive relationships and it is a great way to meet new friends, as well as building confidence and resilience. Dancing can improve student’s musical tone, strength, endurance and fitness. Dance also provides an endless list of physical benefits including coordination and increased levels of general fitness. In this group students have the opportunity to explore a range of dance styles from around the world. The Dance is based on the idea that students have the power to make a connection with other cultures. They also listen and create their own dance steps to music from other cultures as well as modern music.
Karaoke
Participating in Karaoke at school gives students an outlet to express their creativity through song! Karaoke is a great source of entertainment for any gathering, nothing brings people together like group activities. Studies have shown that students are more likely to excel in school if they have some sort of musical background. Karaoke is a fun way to get students on the right path and have the opportunity to create great memories with their peers.
CALM - Come And Liberate The Mind
Liberate the mind is a meditation group that provides an opportunity to stop, relax, let go and rejuvenate ones self in a peaceful space.
Dungeons and Dragons
Daily, a very popular Dungeons and Dragons brings together small groups of students in character with a Dungeon Master (usually a teacher). The Dungeon Master sets a scene in a specially designed room that looks like a dungeon and supports students to go on a journey in their self-designed character roles. Dungeons and Dragons encourages a collaborative team approach where students use phenomenal character skills and strengths to help each other to navigate a planned fantasy quest.
Gift Card and Tag Making Workshop
Card making allows students to show their creative flair while having crafting fun! All these cards are easy and use basic materials. They range from simple print, fold and cut cards to pop-up cards, from thank you cards, birthday cards to Christmas cards. Pick a piece of paper and have some fun learning paper crafting techniques to make greeting cards that will be truly appreciated by those receiving them.
The Cave Wood Working Club
The Cave Wood Working Club has for many years been assisted by volunteers from Geelong Community Men’s Shed. Students apply and extend their skills designing and completing woodworking projects unique to individual needs. It is a space for students to get creative and produce some great wooden works of art.
Macrame and Yarn Group
Come and join us for some interesting fun with yarn and learn to create with knots
- Cyber Cats
An anti cyber bullying campaign for Year 7 students facilitated by Headspace and the Geelong Cats - Just THINK!
A risk taking program for Year 9 students facilitated by the Geelong Cats Community Program - SAPPSS – Sexual Assault Prevention Program for Secondary Schools
A Program for Year 9 students - PARTY Program
An aversion program for adolescent risk taking behaviours for Year 10-12 students every second year. NGSC applies for this program each year - Kokoda Youth Trek
Each year Victoria Police in collaboration with local schools, send a group of ten Year 10 students from across Geelong - SoulART
Art based intervention group Indigenous Belonging Program Focuses on Year 7-8 students - AIME – Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience Program
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