Walcha Central School Student Wellbeing Program

Hansard & Papers " Legislative Assembly " 13 November 2007 " Full Day Hansard Transcript " Item 36 of 46 "
Walcha Central School Student Wellbeing Program

About this Item
Speakers - Torbay Mr Richard
Business - Private Members Statements, PRIV

WALCHA CENTRAL SCHOOL STUDENT WELLBEING PROGRAM
Page: 3960

Mr RICHARD TORBAY (Northern Tablelands-Speaker) [6.17 p.m.]: Last year I attended Walcha Central School's Catalyst program, a day of activities centred around student wellbeing and mental health. Four inspiring speakers-Aaron Turner, Dean Miras, Sam Bailey and Greg Wilson-told the students their personal stories about how they had rebuilt their lives to recover from depression, addiction and the tragic consequences of a road accident. Following these sessions the students went on to participate in a range of workshops to discuss a variety of real-life scenarios, the choices available, and the consequences, both negative and positive, of those choices.

If Catalyst had been a one-off event it would have been impressive, but it is just one link in a chain of activities at the school that have changed the school's culture and the lives of the students in its care. Deputy Principal Wayne Bacon witnessed the change, as he left the school just before the program started and returned three years ago when it had percolated across the school community. He noticed that the number of suspensions for fighting and aggressive behaviour had reduced dramatically and that the relationships between students and between students and teachers had greatly improved. As the deputy principal says, the school is now "a pretty calm sort of place".

This did not happen by accident; it was the result of an initiative of Physical Education Teacher Sabina Armstrong, supported by Principal Terry Sanders, teachers, and the school executive. Their concerns were based on their experience and research showing that in the average classroom approximately 30 per cent of students suffer anxiety for one reason or another and that this distracts them from their learning. Issues confronting the students include dysfunctional home backgrounds, harassment at school or at home, deaths in the family, anxiety, depression and suicide. Mrs Armstrong and the executive team determined that the responsibility for student wellbeing should become part of a whole-of-school program involving all students, staff and families. They based their strategy on the concept that if kids are not feeling right they cannot learn. They also wanted to combat the stigma attached to raising mental health issues, particularly amongst adolescent students, and the code of silence that saw too many trying to resolve their angst through violence and non performance.

Mrs Armstrong successfully applied for Walcha Central School to become one of 17 schools nationwide to pilot the new Mind Matters Program focusing on programs to encourage student wellbeing. She adapted and extended it to include other successful courses to focus on: empowering young people to cope with loss and grief and to build resilience; fostering connectedness; recognising and preventing mental health issues; and accepting diversity. After six years the whole school, from kindergarten to year 12, is involved in aspects of the program. I do not have enough time to provide all the details but the results speak for themselves, and I saw them firsthand. The students now self-refer when they have issues. They seek help from their year adviser or school counsellor when they need it. There has been an 80 per cent reduction in bullying at the school over the last few years. The more vulnerable students have learned assertive behaviour and feel valued in the school community. An important feature is the implementation of very clear-cut disciplinary procedures where students experience the consequences of their poor behaviour.

One of the crucial aspects of the program is the creation and empowerment of student leaders, who undertake peer mentoring and leadership at the school. This occurs in year 10 when students attend an annual camp with peers from two other schools. They student leaders become the first port of call for students who have problems. They monitor behaviour, initiate workshops and activities and work with teachers to ensure that issues are addressed before they get out of hand. This workshop costs the school $7,000 each year and it is becoming more and more difficult to access the funds. Funding is a key part of the program, which not only trains leaders at the school but equips them for life and to become positive members of society. Today I urge the Minister for Education and Training to support this program and similar programs. I ask him to provide funding for the camp and to visit Walcha Central School. Walcha Central School would love the Minister to visit when he is in the area again. The Minister was recently there for a Cabinet meeting. I look forward to showing the Minister some of the great opportunities at Walcha Central School and others, where he can see for himself how well this powerful student wellbeing program operates.

Private members' statements noted.

[Acting-Speaker (Mr Wayne Merton) left the chair at 6.22 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.]