Student mental health a priority through pandemic

Find out how schools are increasing wellbeing and mental health support for students, whose social networks have been up-ended by coronavirus.

The Kilmore International School has offered comprehensive health and wellbeing support to its students, including boarder Jonathan Whalley.

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DAILY temperature checks and health protocols for teenage students are nothing new for one school in Mitchell Shire that has been managing the safety of more than 80 international boarding students since the start of the pandemic.

The Kilmore International School principal Peter Cooper said coronavirus symptoms weren’t the only warning signs on the staff’s radar, however. He said the mental health and wellbeing of students was a top priority, particularly for those who had been separated from family and friends.

“For our boarding students, and especially our international boarding students, the pandemic has resulted in a forced separation from their families,” Mr Cooper said.

“While video conferencing, such as Zoom and FaceTime, offers the chance to see and hear each other, the lack of physical presence, the ability to share a meal with your family, or hug your mother, father, brother or sister, has been the biggest challenge.

“For our staff, the biggest challenge has been sourcing activities for boarding students during the level 3 lockdown period, especially during the school holidays.”

The school employs dedicated medical staff, and has used both school and community specialist healthcare providers to give mental health and wellbeing support to boarders.

“Boarding communities, by their very nature, foster a close knit family atmosphere,” Mr Cooper said. “As the majority of our boarders remained onsite during the pandemic lockdown, life had a normality to it as the daily routines still took place and students were still supported and surrounded by their friends.”

At schools where boarders could not return to normal on-campus living last term, staff were also acutely aware of potential negative effects on students’ mental health.

Ballarat Grammar director of boarding Chris Van Styn said wellbeing support during the pandemic was “the biggest challenge that we have outside of boarding as well as in”.

“If we don’t get this right, we will have a generation who is averse to comforting each other,” he said.

The school has three psychologists, a director of care and a director of wellbeing to offer specialist wellbeing support to students.

“We just have to make sure we build in enough time to focus on mental health,” Mr Van Styn said.

“Kids are coming back in all sorts of shapes and forms, and that diligence is really important.”

TIPS FOR TEEN WELLBEING

These tips for adults can help adolescents understand their role in the coronavirus crisis, and maintain mental and physical health.

– Keep calm and reassure students that schools are taking informed steps to maintain everyone’s health

– Share age-appropriate information

– Suggest young people reflect on their social media use and where they source information about coronavirus, reminding them that some sources can be unreliable and add psychological stress

– Focus on the present and activities that can be done safely now

– Positively promote seeking help and support

Information and wellbeing resources aimed at teenagers and young adults are available from Beyond Blue.

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