2022 | Issue 19| SJC Newsletter

SJC Mental Health First Aid – Teen course

We now have twelve St Joseph’s staff trained as facilitators of the Teen Mental Health First Aid course delivered by Mental Health First Aid Australia. This four-day training commitment was met with much enthusiasm and appreciation from the staff as the concept and costs associated with the course were supported and funded by our Old Collegians and Parents and Friends Associations. The diverse group of staff ranging from leadership, teaching and non-teaching positions all now feel equipped to deliver the Teen Mental Health First Aid course to our student body. Our initial aim will be to incorporate this course into the Westcourt Wellbeing program in Term 2 next year which we believe will complement the Resilience Project and Lifechanger programs that this year level has immersed themselves in during their time in Waterford.

Students will learn the Teen MHFA Action Plan, as well as information about different types of mental health problems and mental health crisis situations in young people, and the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Developing mental health problems covered are:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Eating disorders
• Alcohol and other drug use disorders
• Psychotic disorders

Mental health crisis situations covered are:

• Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
• Non-suicidal self-injury (sometimes called deliberate self-harm)
• Being very intoxicated from alcohol and other drugs
• Bullying or abuse

Our MHFA trainer Kate Riddle was excellent and we again thank our Old Collegians and Parents and Friends for supporting this initiative. I plan on updating our SJC community when we deliver the course to our Year 9s next year.

Head Start program

We have been pleased with the student engagement during Head Start and we thank families, staff and students for committing to this program, ensuring new relationships, partnerships and study habits are established prior the Christmas holidays.

End of Year student reports

The school reports will be made available on PAM as of Monday 12 December. Due to PAM needing upgrading we recommend families download the reports prior to 16 December as access will be restricted from this time.