Wellbeing Hub

 " The true opposite of depression is neither gaiety nor absence of pain, but vitality—the freedom to experience spontaneous feelings. "

Alice Miller

Alice Miller and Candlebark follow what we call the 'village model' for wellbeing. This means that we don't outsource our student care and support to any particular person within the school - students can seek support from any adult with whom they feel comfortable and safe. The teachers at the school are an exceptional bunch: empathetic, wise and caring. They are also all quite different from each other in temperament, personality and approach, which is a strength. Generally, students can identify at least one teacher that they connect with and feel comfortable talking to. Our teaching staff regularly undergo training in mental health, including Youth Mental Health First Aid.

At the next level, the year level coordinators oversee students' academic progress and wellbeing. As you are aware, they are your first port of call if you are concerned or wish to make enquiries about your child's welfare or academic development. They keep a particular eye on students in their cohorts, and are often the people who help resolve disagreements and issues between groups of friends and the class as a whole. They are usually the people who contact you if we are concerned about your child and their wellbeing.

Finally the Wellbeing Coordinator is Skye Myers. This role was created in 2021 in response to the obvious challenges of the pandemic and to ensure that we have a robust wellbeing framework as the school grows and mental health demands increase. Skye has studied Adolescent Psychology and Counselling through Monash University. Skye also brings her other professional hats in philosophy and VCE Coordination to the role.

Wellbeing Coordination at Alice involves a number of aspects.

Skye oversees the wellbeing program in general at the school. She works with external agencies like Headspace, Orange Door and MRSPAG, and she also promotes wellbeing at a broad sense to the school community through morning meetings and other avenues.

Secondly, Skye works directly to assist students who have significant mental health issues. This may involve elements of counselling, mental health first aid, and referral. She works closely with families and external mental health services, including psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors to ensure that appropriate mental health support is in place for our young people.

Finally, Skye provides guidance for our teachers and year level coordinators on wellbeing issues. We are all invested in the wellbeing of the young people at this school, and nearly everyone needs a sounding board at times. This helps strengthen the village model and ensures that everyone, including the 'elders', has the support they need.