{"id":6953,"date":"2026-08-28T15:15:33","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T05:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/?post_type=article&p=6953"},"modified":"2026-08-26T15:23:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T05:23:46","slug":"from-the-dean-of-student-wellbeing-3","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/article\/from-the-dean-of-student-wellbeing-3\/","title":{"rendered":"FROM THE DEAN OF STUDENT WELLBEING"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beyond the Classroom: Learning for Life<\/strong><\/p>\n

It has been a busy term across our Pastoral Development and wellbeing programs, with students participating in a range of valuable learning experiences beyond the classroom. Through partnerships with external providers, community organisations and professionals working directly in their fields, students have been able to connect their learning with real-world experiences, hear from those with specialist knowledge and develop practical skills they can carry with them as they navigate adolescence, increasing independence and life beyond school.<\/p>\n

Staying Safe in a Digital World – ySafe<\/strong><\/p>\n

Students across Years 7-12 participated in age-appropriate cyber safety sessions delivered by ySafe, exploring social media, gaming, online relationships, cyberbullying, privacy and digital wellbeing.<\/p>\n

Importantly, the sessions moved beyond simply telling students what they should and should not do online. Students were challenged to think critically about their own digital behaviours, understand how quickly online situations can change and consider the impact their choices can have on themselves and others. They also explored practical strategies for protecting their privacy, responding to challenging situations and knowing when and where to seek help.<\/p>\n

Parents and guardians were also invited to an evening session, recognising the important partnership between home and school in supporting young people online. Families are reminded that the ySafe Online Safety Hub remains available throughout the year, with practical resources covering current apps, social media, gaming, parental controls and emerging online safety concerns.<\/p>\n

Online Safety Hub \u2013 St Patrick’s College Townsville<\/a><\/p>\n

Year 10 – P.A.R.T.Y. Program<\/strong><\/p>\n

A number of our Year 10 students participated in the P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) Program, providing a powerful opportunity to understand the relationship between choices, risk and injury.<\/p>\n

Through interaction with health professionals, emergency services and those with lived experience of trauma, students were taken beyond statistics and classroom discussions to see the real-world consequences that can follow a single decision. By exploring aspects of the journey of a trauma patient, students were encouraged to consider not only the physical consequences of risk-taking, but also the impact on families, friends and the wider community.<\/p>\n

The experience complemented students\u2019 Pastoral Development learning around alcohol and other drugs and encouraged them to think more deeply about recognising risk, looking out for others and making informed choices.<\/p>\n

Year 11 – Road Safety and Responsible Driving<\/strong><\/p>\n

For our Year 11 students, road safety has been a strong focus as many begin to experience the independence and responsibility that comes with driving.<\/p>\n

Students participated in the Queensland Fire Department\u2019s Road Attitudes and Action Planning (RAAP) Program, delivered by operational firefighters who bring firsthand experience of responding to road crashes. Hearing directly from professionals who see the consequences of road trauma gave students an authentic perspective on risk, decision-making and the responsibility they carry for themselves, their passengers and other road users.<\/p>\n

Building on this learning, a large number of Year 11 students will also participate in an Advanced Driver Safety Program. Through practical instruction, learner and provisional drivers will have the opportunity to develop their confidence, driving skills and understanding of driver mindset, safe decision-making and responding appropriately on the road.<\/p>\n

Together, these experiences encourage students to see driving not simply as a pathway to independence, but as a responsibility that requires judgement, awareness and consideration for others.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Year 12 – Preparing for Life Beyond School<\/strong><\/p>\n

As our Year 12 students move closer to finishing school, our Pastoral Development program continues to provide opportunities to build the knowledge and confidence needed for greater independence.<\/p>\n

Students welcomed Domestic Violence North Queensland (DVNQ) for an important session exploring respectful and healthy relationships, domestic and family violence, personal safety and help-seeking. Students were encouraged to recognise healthy and unhealthy behaviours, understand how they might support a friend and, importantly, know where and how to access professional support if they or someone they know needs it.<\/p>\n

The visit also strengthened our College connection with DVNQ as the Thrones House charity, with representatives remaining at the College during Morning Tea to speak with students, share resources and build greater awareness of the support available within our local community.<\/p>\n

Year 12 students also participated in the Red Frogs Party Safe Program. Drawing on presenters\u2019 extensive experience supporting young people at Schoolies, Leavers Week and other events, students explored the realities of party environments, alcohol and recreational drug use. Rather than simply focusing on risk, the session equipped students with practical strategies for planning ahead, recognising unsafe situations, looking after friends and making informed decisions.<\/p>\n

These experiences are particularly valuable as students prepare to leave the structures of school and make increasingly independent choices about relationships, social situations and their own safety.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/a>\"\" <\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Learning for Life<\/strong><\/p>\n

The value of these programs lies in the opportunity for students to learn from people working directly within our community – firefighters, health professionals, trauma services, online safety specialists and community support organisations. Their expertise and real-world experiences bring an authenticity to learning that strengthens and extends the work already taking place through our Pastoral Development program.<\/p>\n

As we now enter a busy period of assessment and exam preparation, we also remind students of the importance of putting these broader wellbeing skills into practice. Planning ahead, prioritising tasks and using effective study strategies can help manage workload, while maintaining sleep, movement, downtime and connection remains an important part of finding balance during busy periods.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Tenille Hambly<\/h2>\n

DEAN OF STUDENT WELLBEING<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beyond the Classroom: Learning for Life It has been a busy term across our Pastoral Development and wellbeing programs, with students participating in a range of valuable learning experiences beyond the classroom. Through partnerships with external providers, community organisations and professionals working directly in their fields, students have been able to connect their learning with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6959,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","article_category":[],"article_tag":[],"class_list":["post-6953","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/6953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6953"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"article_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_category?post=6953"},{"taxonomy":"article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/spc-townsville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_tag?post=6953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}