On this page
- Talk to a teacher or school wellbeing member
- Looking after yourself
- Wellbeing support during the school holidays
- Feeling It: Mindfulness resources for secondary school students
- Mindfulness resources for VCE and VCAL students
- Mindfulness resources for students in Years 7-10
- Raising concerns at school
- Other support
There's been lots of change going on lately, especially in the way you are learning.
Restrictions are still needed in some areas to help keep the whole community safe during COVID-19. There are also some changes at school.
Right now, it's hard to know how long these new changes will stay in place, or if more will be needed as the year goes on.
All these changes and uncertainty might make you feel confused, angry or overwhelmed. There are things you can do to look after your health and wellbeing. Remember, the kind of support you need may change as time passes.
It's also important to remember your teachers and your school community are there to support you. Your school should be a safe place to learn and somewhere where you can get extra support if you need to.
Talk to a teacher or school wellbeing member
If things are getting too much, or you're worried about someone at home, talk to a trusted staff member or another trusted adult.
It's also good to check in with your friends, to see how they're feeling. If you're concerned about another student's wellbeing or safety, you must tell a teacher or another trusted adult. This isn't betraying confidence, it's one of the best ways you can look after a friend.
If the staff member is worried about your safety, or the safety of someone else, they'll have to talk to the principal.
Looking after yourself
There are also lots of things you can do to look after yourself. You could:
- take a break from the news and social media
- spend time with people who make you laugh and feel happy
- do some exercise
- try to eat healthily and keep the unhealthy snack foods and drinks as treats
- get creative with some art, poetry or music
- try meditation and mindfulness
There are also a whole bunch of great tips and resources online. You might find some of these links helpful.
For students, The Mental Health has advice and resources to support student mental health and wellbeing. This includes advice on positive mental health promotion, curriculum support, how to identify and access support as well as parent and student-specific pages. * In addition, the Quick Guide to Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources highlights the most relevant evidence-based resources for teachers, parents and students.
Wellbeing support during the school holidays
Mental health support, resources and advice are available for students to access over the holidays. This fact sheet provides tips on looking after your mental health and wellbeing over the school holidays and information on the services available to you if you need to reach out for support.
- For students – Wellbeing support over the school holidays (PDF,
- For students – Wellbeing support over the school holidays (DOCX,
For more information, as well as access to translated fact sheets, visit Mental health supports for students over school
-
ReachOut
headspace
How to cope with stress related to Coronavirus
Smiling Mind
Kids Helpline
Melbourne Football Club
-
VicSRC
headspace
Kids Helpline
ReachOut
-
-
Eat for Health
Nutrition Australia
Department of Health
Melbourne Victory
ReachOut
-
-
-
headspace
Mental health resources for Koorie
ReachOut
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc
Koorie students can also contact the Koorie Education Workforce and the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated for information and help with issues at vaeai@vaeai.org.au or at (03) 9481 0800
-
Consideration of educational disadvantage
In recognition of the disruptions to learning caused by a coronavirus (COVID-19) and the differing levels of impact at the school and individual student level, the VCAA will introduce a new consideration of the educational process when calculating VCE scores.
Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA)
ReachOut
headspace
Feeling It: Mindfulness resources for secondary school students
We've partnered with Smiling Mind to bring you mindfulness resources and activities, that can help you stay positive and engaged in your education.
Educator fact sheet
A fact sheet is also available for teachers to guide you in using these resources.
Mindfulness resources for VCE and VCAL students
-
Join Jasmine for tips about how to include self-care practices in your daily life, then try it yourself using the activity in the tip sheet.
You might also like to try some interactive mindfulness related to self-care - you'll just need to register for the free Smiling Mind App.
What are your self-care essentials? - tip sheet
-
Hear from Year 11 and 12 students about how they’re feeling at the moment.
Jasmine talks about how we can make our emotions work for us, not against us, using a 5-step vibe check. Then use the tip sheet below to try the vibe check for yourself and become an emotions master!
You might also like to try some interactive mindfulness related to understanding and managing your emotions – you’ll just need to register for the free Smiling Mind App.
How to do a 5-step vibe check - tip sheet
-
Jasmine talks to us about mindfulness: what it is, why it's great, and how it's done. Hear from students about how they found it.
Then, practise your Lion Mind using the STOP technique in the tip sheet below or by trying the interactive under this episode in the free Smiling Mind app (you'll just need to register).
Stop before you start - tip sheet
-
Jasmine explains how you can create a physical and mental oasis for yourself that will help you study well and stay well as you head into the end of the school year.
Then, use the tip sheet to practice studying smarter, reframing stress, and getting a good night’s sleep. You may also like to try the interactive for this episode in the free Smiling Mind app (you'll just need to register).
How to study smarter, not harder - tip sheet
-
Jasmine talks to us about self-compassion and why being kind to ourselves is so important.
Students and Youth Mentor Influencers (Mack Horton, Marlee Silva, Jorden Tually and Kira Puru) tell us about their inner critic and how they try to turn that voice around.
Use the tip sheet to design your inner mentor you can turn to for kindness and advice, or try the interactive for this episode in the free Smiling Mind app (you'll just need to register).
How to do a 5-step vibe check! - tip sheet
Smiling Mind: Design your mentor- tip sheetSmiling Mind: Design your mentor- tip sheet -
In the final episode of this series, Year 11 and 12 students share how they’re feeling about changes in their life, and Mack Horton, Marlee Silva, Jorden Tually and Kira Puru talk about some of the things they wish they’d known when they were going through the last years of high school.
Jasmine explains how we can use our values to navigate our way through this valley of weirdness.
You can use the tip sheet to try to work out what your values might be or try the interactive for this episode in the free Smiling Mind app (you'll just need to register).
Where to from here - tip sheet
Smiling Mind: Where to from here - tip sheetSmiling Mind: Where to from here - tip sheet
Mindfulness resources for students in Years 7-10
-
Welcome to the new series of Feeling It! This series is for students in Years 7-10. In Episode 1, Jazz is back to talk to us about uncertainty and how it can cause us to worry. Secondary school students tell us what’s worrying them at the moment.
Then, use the tip sheet below or the Smiling Mind to try the ‘Worry Time’ activity – a way to help you manage your uncertainty.
Coping with uncertainty - tip sheet
-
A purpose in life can help us deal with uncertainty. In this episode, Angus Brayshaw, Samantha Andrew, Logan Martin, Marlee Silva, and Meissa Mason talk to us about their purposes in life.
Jazz talks about how you can use your values as superpowers to work out your purpose. Hear from secondary school student peers about what their values are. Then, use the tip sheet below or the Smiling Mind to identify your values.
Meaning, purpose and values - tip sheet
-
Starting something new can be exciting, but also scary! In this episode, Samantha Andrew, Logan Martin and James Parr talk to us about some of their big life transitions.
Jazz talks about how acknowledging our emotions and letting go of past feelings and expectations can make life transitions much more pleasant. Use the tip sheet below or the Smiling Mind to reflect on some of your life transitions.
Welcome to the in-between: Transitioning back to school - tip sheet
-
Healthy friendships make us feel more confident and content. In this episode, Samantha Andrew, Will Hyde, James Parr and Marlee Silva, talk to us about how they maintain healthy relationships.
Jazz talks about what healthy friendships look like, the benefits of different kinds of friendships and how to set boundaries. Use the tip sheet below or the Smiling Mind to reflect on some of the friendships in your life.
What shape is your tree? - tip sheet
-
Approaching your final years of high school might be exciting and daunting.
While you might have an ultimate goal you want to achieve, it’s also important to enjoy other things along the way! In this episode, Samantha Andrew, James Parr, Angus Brayshaw, Marlee Silva and a group of year 10 students talk to us about their ‘side quests’ - the things they enjoyed outside of school when they were completing VCE or VCAL. Jazz explores levelling up into VCE and VCAL, and the importance of side quests along the journey. She explains what side quests are and how you can use them to add excitement and rewarding experiences to your life. Use the tip sheet below or the Smiling Mind to think about your side quests.
Your side quests – preparing for VCE and VCAL - tip sheet
-
Your identity is your sense of self, it’s who you are, where you belong and what’s important to you. People with a strong sense of who they are can often feel less anxious, more grounded and in touch with their emotions.
In this episode, Angus Brayshaw, Meissa Mason, Samantha Andrew and Marlee Silva talk to us about their identity.
Jazz talks about all things identity, and what this means, and explores how someone’s identity can shift and change over time. Use the tip sheet below or the Smiling Mind to reflect on your own identity.
Identity - tip sheet
Raising concerns at school
If you are engaged and feel confident participating at school, it can help you to learn at your best. But when issues occur, they can distract you from your learning and make you feel worried.
When students and teachers work together, issues can often be resolved earlier. You must know that your teachers are here to listen to you, respect your opinions and take action when it is needed.
To help you to decide if you should raise an issue with your school, talk to an adult you trust at school, a family member or another trusted adult. If the issue is making you upset, then you must raise it.
Other support
You can also get support from other organisations, including
Kids Helpline
1800 551 800 or
Headspace
1800 650 890 or
Beyond Blue
1300 224 636 or
Lifeline
13 11 14 or
Butterfly Foundation
1800 334 673 or
1800RESPECT
1800 737 732 or
Coronavirus advice hotline
Reviewed 26 April 2022