Words for Wellbeing - Edition 17 - November 4th, 2021

Welcome to Words for Wellbeing

Welcome to your fortnightly Wellbeing newsletter. You’ll find new information to enhance your health and wellness to keep you Fit4Life.

In this edition we share many resources for parents trying to navigate their way through raising adolescents in the digital age. We've been supporting our VCE students throughout their exam period, hosting meditation and chill out sessions in the LRC and continue to support our entire school community as this year draws to a rapid conclusion... where has the time gone?

To our entire Emmanuel Community and please enjoy everything on offer in this edition of Words for Wellbeing.

Year 12 Chill Out Sessions

Many of our VCE students have utilised our amazing facilities in the LRC and for those sitting two exams on one day - eeeeekkkkkk - we were happy to join them with some tunes and snacks and some debriefing and support before they headed back to study or into exam number 2.

It goes without saying, but it needs to be said, we're all so proud of you for taking everything this year has thrown your way.

Your futures are going to be very bright.

xo

For Parents: How to Deal with Disturbing Content

In light of some wildly popular tv series appearing on our streaming APPS of late, it may be timely to use some of the tools from reachout.com to support your students who may see some content they find disturbing.

Watching shows before they do, or watching them together can be an excellent way to begin conversations within your family about a whole range of topics.

Here are some more tips:

Children's Week - Oct 23 - 31

Children's Week is a national celebration that recognises the talents, skills, achievements and rights of children. It will run from Saturday 23 October to Sunday 31 October 2021, with thousands of Victorian children taking part in the festivities.

The theme for Children's Week 2020-21 is Children have the right to choose their friends and safely connect with others, drawn from Article 15 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Download this poster to further explore the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Sextortion - The Safe on Social Toolkit

"If you don’t send me a nude in 60 seconds I will send this image to some of your friends and say it is you"

This is the exact message a 16-year-old student received in her Instagram DM’s recently.
When she ignored the message, the perpetrator sent a cropped image of a naked young woman laying on a bed to some of her Instagram followers.
There was nothing she could do to stop it.

This is just one of many examples of sextortion we are hearing from students younger and younger. Sextortion is on the rise and we need to be able to talk about it.

So…what exactly is sextortion?

Sextortion is the practice of extorting money or sexual favours from someone by threatening to reveal evidence of their sexual activity.  This is commonly played out when teens are sexting with peers (as a means to build trust) but once nudes or photos are shared they are then threatened with money - or their photos will be revealed to their friends, family, or Instagram/Snapchat followers.

In my business, Safe On Social, I have worked directly with students  (like the 16-year-old girl mentioned above) who have experienced this. It’s an extremely traumatic, fearful, embarrassing, and stressful situation for the child at hand. Encouraging them to speak up is the most important thing we can do. They need to understand that if they are being threatened in anyway we, the adults in ther lives are here to hear them and help them.

Here are 3 top things you should be discussing with your teenage child or student today:

1. Never accept DM requests through Instagram, assure them it will never be a friend (if it is, they will contact through other means). There may be a sinister side, and accepting a DM request is not safe.
2. Let them know that they can always speak to you without judgment, that you will help them if they make a mistake online, and something goes wrong. They need to know that they should never be afraid to speak up.
3. Know what to do when things go wrong.  Make sure they know not to pay or respond to the demands at all. They should not engage at all. Teach them that they should take screenshots if something happens to have evidence if the authorities need to be notified. If you are in Australia, help your teen to make an image-based abuse report here or report to local Police or Crimestoppers at 1800333000

If you’ve experienced Sextortion or need advice, our team is here to help. Simply reach out at any time if you need specific guidance in this area.

Kirra
Safe on Social Toolkit Team

You Can! Ask That

Well, sadly our You Can! Ask That avenue for support hasn't been too widely used at this point, however we have had one question asked:

'Do Wellbeing support the LGBTQIA+2S community?'

The answer is a resounding YES!

Our Wellbeing team are all professionals trained to take a non-judemental stance, approaching people they work with unconditional positive regard.

In short, we work with human beings and we love to support whoever may need it.

Positive Masculinity from Understanding Boys

Welcome to the introductory webinar into Positive Masculinity presented by Dr Ray Swann via Brighton Grammar.

About masculinity

Is it toxic, does it lead to ill-health for boys and young men, is it linked to violence? In boys and men there are higher rates of aggression, violence and suicide and poorer school engagement. What society has been doing isn’t working.

Something is missing and new approaches are needed. Dr Ray Swann believes now is the time to encourage the development of Positive Masculinity.

Please enjoy this free webinar.

D*ck Pics, TikTok & Vaping: The Hectic Lives Of Teenagers

Being a teenager has changed. A lot. There’s TikTok, vaping, d*ck pics, snap chat maps...and all the things that were once thought as fixed - like gender and identity - are fluid and open to interpretation. 

While these are confronting topics and topics we may not feel ready for, they are a necessary part of parenting modern-day teenagers. Times have well and truly changed and unless we stay up-to-date with the experiences our young people and/or those around them are facing, we risk disconnecting from them and removing ourselves as a protective factor in their adolescence.

Dr Ginni Mansberg and clinical psychologist Jo Lamble have over 20 years experience as clinicians and parents. They know first hand what concerns parents today about raising adolescents, and they see it daily in their practices.

So they’ve written a book about it called The New Teen Age. Because that’s exactly what it is. And they join Mia Freedman on the No Filter Podcast to talk about it…

This podcast episode is a must listen for parents, teachers and wellbeing staff alike.

Find their book The New Teen Age here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-new-teen-age-ginni-mansberg/book/9781922351258.html 

Learning Diversity Fornightly Column

Inclusive Education: Essential for some, but good for ALL!

Watching our Language in these Covid Times

Many students are struggling with pivoting between virtual school/on-site schooling and are becoming overwhelmed and therefore, quite anxious.  Watching our language when talking to them about their work tasks might alleviate all our stress levels.

In these very unusual times, it is helpful to focus on where we are now, and how best to move forward, which means we accept what hasn’t been done up until now.

Words to include:

Virtual School is difficult

Let’s move on

Let’s see if we can break this task down into manageable steps

Words to avoid:

You will fail

You need to catch up

You are falling behind

It needs to be completed

• Can we shift our focus? 
• What is absolutely necessary for students to demonstrate their understanding of key concepts? 

Could they show what they know in a variety of ways, playing to their strengths?

Fit4Life, Wellbeing @ Emmanuel College

Your 2021 Fit4Life Wellbeing Team are, from left to right, Jodie Fleming (School Psychologist), Rachele Sloane (Wellbeing coordinator), Claire Wrigley (Assistant Principal Students Wellbeing), Tracey van Rooy (Student Wellbeing Intake Officer). You can look forward to meeting us all through the Conversations on the Couch in coming editions, or, in person anytime!

Fit Bits

Our weekly Fit Bits links are designed to energise, motivate and encourage us to take brain breaks and mindful moments throughout each day for our minds and our bodies.

Energisers:

Brain Breaks:

Mindful Moments:

Motivational Music:

We hope you’ve found something useful in this edition of Words for Wellbeing.

Our past editions of Words for Wellbeing contain useful reminders about how to cope with many different scenarios. You’ll find all of our 2020 past editions online - just follow this link and enter Words for Wellbeing in the search bar, or use your SchoolZine App for the 2021 cataolgue: 

Stay tuned for our next edition of Words for Wellbeing!

In the meantime, if you need to contact Wellbeing, please email us at wellbeing@emmanuel.vic.edu.au to organise a catch up or just to check in or offer us any suggestions or feedback on our Words for Wellbeing.

Stay safe and well everyone.

Love from your Wellbeing Team