Student-Led Wellbeing Conference 2026

On Friday 5 June, we had the privilege of attending the student-led wellbeing conference hosted by Knox Grammar and Ravenswood. The theme of this event was Empathy: Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges to remind us that empathy and connection are embedded in choices we make every day.

To start the morning off, a live performance from the Hot Potato Band. Through the power of music they shared the importance of building bridges to create communities where everyone feels seen, supported, and able to grow.

Following the musical item, we had the opportunity to listen to inspirational keynote speaker, James Castrission, one of the first kayakers to cross the Tasman sea from Australia to New Zealand. The success of his expedition led him to take on an even greater challenge of skiing from the Antarctic coast to the south pole and back. The main takeaway from his expeditions was empathy is essential to navigate through tough times and success is achieved by challenging ourselves in a sustainable way.

The second keynote speaker, Alex Moffat, is a mindset expert and neuroleadership practitioner. He demonstrated how cognitive illusions can reframe our minds to disrupt ingrained thought patterns using a little bit of magic! We unpacked how our thinking shapes the way we understand and approach upcoming events that may make us uneasy, and discovered the benefits of a growth mindset to guide us through these challenges. Alex Moffat not only intrigued the audience with his jaw-dropping magic acts but taught us mental strategies that will remain unforgettable!

Later in the day, we engaged in interactive workshops led by the students of Knox and Ravenswood. Shaped by student voices, each workshop created space for real conversations, sharing experiences and strategies to achieve empathy. Discussion topics of these workshops included humility towards self and others, becoming an upstander, and the power of listening. These focused areas allowed us to build real connections, challenge our assumptions and think more honestly about what wellbeing actually looks like in everyday life.

The day ended with a Spotlight Series and Appreciative Inquiry where, as individual school groups, we were prompted to collaboratively reflect on ideas and strategies to encourage empathy and cultivate a supportive community. This highlighted how change cannot be achieved through simply sitting and listening, but requires reflecting, sharing ideas, learning from each other and acting to really make a difference in our school community.

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– Anika Gupta and Carina Chu 
Year 11