St Peter’s College principal Tim Hogan holds the framed SenseAbility award, while welfare co-ordinator Anita Carter is congratulated by beyondblue’s education projects manager Brendan Hallinan.By BRIDGET COOK
ST PETER’S College in Cranbourne has won a national award recognising its work in promoting good mental health to its students.
The secondary school was among only three recipients across the country of beyondblue’s SenseAbility Award.
The award recognises and acknowledges schools and TAFE colleges for their efforts and commitment to implement the SenseAbility program as part of their approach to improving the wellbeing of young people within their communities.
Developed by beyondblue, the national depression and anxiety initiative, it aims to deliver young adults life skills that help them interact more effectively with others and cope better with life’s changes and challenges.
In 2011 St Peter’s made the decision to change its pastoral care program’s structure by introducing a vertical house system.
This year it embedded the SenseAbility program into its pastoral care program.
St Peter’s College student welfare counsellor Nadia Picinali said the change created the opportunity for students across Years 7 to 12 to connect and interact with one another through a formal pastoral care program led by the teaching staff.
“The great thing about the SenseAbility materials is that they enable us to deliver to this wide age group,” she said.
“Staff feel they are delivering materials that are relevant to the students and more than 70 of the school’s 120 teachers are involved in the program.
“The SenseAbility resources have made it very easy for us to communicate with parents about the program.
“The student welfare team thought that skills were essential for students to learn so we have been delivering materials to our pastoral lessons, which are run by the learning advisor for the group.
“The groups have 20 students from Years 7 to 12 and we have had very positive feedback from our students and staff about the program.
“It has been a very positive start to the year.”
Ms Picinali said the program fit well with the St Peter’s College ethos, in that its goal was to educate the whole person.
“It also supports the other school programs that are on offer, such as the school’s bullying and harassment programs and their healthy relationships focus,” she said.
beyondblue’s education projects manager Brendan Hallinan visited the school recently to present it with the award.
