Student Wellbeing

The Wellbeing Team at Cranbourne Secondary College adopts a holistic model of health and wellbeing that focuses on the physical, mental, emotional and social functioning of students.

Some of the work we do includes:

  • Health and mental health promotion and early intervention activities
  • Support of social-emotional learning activities
  • Provision of support to students and families
  • Individual short-term counselling for students
  • Group work
  • Restorative Practices
  • Consultation/advice and referral to external agencies for counselling and material aid
  • Doctors in Secondary School Program (see tab below)

Referrals to the Wellbeing Team are accepted from various sources including student self-referrals, parents and school staff.

Students requiring counselling are able to access brief, short-term counselling with the Wellbeing Team. In situations where regular or longer-term counselling is required, students will often be supported to access external services in the local community.

The Wellbeing Team consists of:

  • Catherine Gilchriest (Assistant Principal)
  • Melissa Bannister (Wellbeing Team Leader)
  • Katherine Shaw (Psychologist)
  • Kirsty Vondeling (Psychologist)
  • Jessica Price (Psychologist)
  • Ciara Hart (Psychologist)
  • Gina Harrex (Secondary School Nurse)

Wellbeing Resources 

It can sometimes feel challenging for parents to raise happy, healthy and resilient children and teens. What can help our families and schools is up-to-date resources aimed at providing information on key topics that relate to parenting and the wellbeing of our children.

SchoolTV provides schools with an extensive range of wellbeing resources for parents, so together parents and teachers can work in partnership to ensure improved wellbeing for all children. We encourage you to view the resources and share this link with other parents in your school community. SchoolTV streamlines and brings together information from many reputable sources such as REACHOUT and beyondblue, Australian Psychological Society, Nutrition Australia, headspace and esafety Commission.  This provides a very reliable and accessible resource, saving parents time and confusion searching online across multiple sites.

It is now available to our parents and families. Each topic or edition addresses key issues using brief interviews with expert specialists, fact sheets, parent quizzes, recommended apps, books and much more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doctors in Schools

The Doctors in Secondary School’s program operates on a Monday during the school term between 9am – 1pm.

Dr Wesley Ang (Doctor)

Dr Wesley AngQualifications: Dr Wesley Ang – MBBS, FRACGP, Advanced Diploma in Counselling & Family Therapy

Youth Health Clinic Narre Warren, Oakwood School – Noble Park: Doctors in Schools Program, Gleneagles Secondary College: Doctors in Schools Program

About: Dr Wes is a GP with an interest in mental health, working in Headspace, and participating in the Doctors In Schools Program. He completed his medical degree from the University of Melbourne in 1996 and the Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2005.  In this time, he has completed a Diploma in Counselling and family therapy and is accredited for Focussed Psychological Strategies with Medicare. He practises with an emphasis in holistic and lifestyle medicine, incorporating several lifestyle approaches.  He enjoys exercise, travel, listening to music and playing guitar.

Special Interests: Dr Wes is a qualified General Practitioner who has had a wide range of hospital and general practice experience. Throughout this time, Dr Wes has developed a keen interest in mental health.

Nurse Megan Hayes (Youth Health Nurse) 

Qualifications: Bachelor of Nursing Div 1, Post Graduate Certificate of Emergency and Trauma Care, Masters of Nursing Practice via Research Thesis. Additional training in AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs), Mental Health and Eating Disorders.

Interests: Over 10 years’ experience working in Emergency Departments and Nursing Education. I have an interest in health promotion, sexual health and consent education, disordered eating, mental health and LGBTIQA+.

I have just started in the DiSS role at Cranbourne Secondary College and have really enjoyed getting to know some of the students over the past term. We are very excited to be back on site on a Monday and look forward to meeting you!

What does the DiSS do?
  • They can do physical assessments and refer to specialist services.
  • They can do mental health assessments and provide Mental Health Treatment Plans to help you access external psychologists.
  • They can organise blood tests and STI testing. They can also provide contraceptive options and sexual health education.
  • They can answer COVID questions and help you access vaccination clinics.
  • They can do eating disorder assessments and provide advice on healthy eating and activity.
  • They can help with insomnia and sleep hygiene.
  • They can help with alcohol and drug use education, from a harm minimisation framework.
  • They are great listeners and can be a good contact when you’re not quite sure who to ask.

Your child can see the DiSS for anything they would see their local GP for!

How can your child book an appointment with DiSS?

Students can book an appointment a number of ways;

  • They can speak to a Wellbeing staff member, either before school, during recess or lunch time in W block to book a GP appointment in person.
  • Speak to Nurse Megan in the Doctor’s building (next to W9) at recess on a Monday.
  • Compass – they can find the online Doctor’s appointment request under the Community Icon, School Documentation and Student Wellbeing.

If you have any further questions regarding the Doctors in Secondary Schools program, please contact Melissa Bannister our Wellbeing Team Leader.

Therapeutic Martial Arts Program

“MAT Program: A therapeutic martial arts program”. The program aims to:

  • Work on goal setting and problem solving
  • Learn new skills to manage life challenges
  • Engage young people in fun and fitness
  • Improve communication and social skills
  • Develop positive relationships
  • Develop new skills for mind and body

This program is designed to be a stimulating, challenging and fun experience. It uses elements of traditional martial arts to link in with life skills. It is designed to help the young people regulate their thoughts, actions and behaviours. The program content will cover topics such as feeling good about self, making good choices, respect and responsibility, managing strong emotions, managing anger and conflict, social skills training and growing positive futures. The program does not teach participants how to fight; there is no instruction in street fighting or weapons techniques.

RAISE – In School Mentoring Opportunity

We are very excited to be introducing an evidence-based, best practice mentoring program called Ismo (In School Mentoring Opportunity) within our school community, and we would like to extend the opportunity for students in Year 8 and 9 to be involved.

The benefits of mentoring are many, with the primary one being that students often greatly benefit from having a neutral positive role model to talk to who is an adult, but who is not connected to the school or family.  Graduates of the Ismo program have appreciated and flourished under individualised support from Raise mentors who are trained to assist with identifying and achieving goals that are meaningful for each student.  Raise mentors are volunteers from the community and corporate partners who have been formally trained in mentoring through a TAFE accredited training course.  They visit our school as a group once a week during Term 2 and Term 3 for one hour of mentoring.  Please note that all mentors have been screened through appropriate Working with Children Security Clearances.

Raise Foundation will be undertaking an evaluation of the Ismo Program which will provide invaluable insight into how the Ismo program influences positive outcomes for young people. We invite all students from the Ismo program to take part in this evaluation.

Useful Links & Contacts

  • Headspace: Online and telephone mental health support (aged 12-25)
    Phone: 1800 367 968
    Web: www.headspace.org.au
  • Kids Help Line: Online and telephone support for young people (aged 0-24).
    Phone: 1800 551 800
  • Life Line: Telephone support for people of all ages.
    Phone: 13 11 14
  • Casey Youth Services:  Offering support to students who reside or study in the City of Casey.
    Phone: 0417347909
    Web: https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/youth-services
  • Parent Line: Support for parents of young people (aged 0-18)
    Phone: 13 22 89
  • Beyond Blue: Supporting everyone to achieve their best possible mental health.
    Phone: 1300 224 636
    Web: www.beyondblue.org.au
  • Psychiatric Triage: Mental Health emergency support service.
    Phone: 1300 369 012
  • Online Resources for Young People