Student Mental Health And Wellbeing

Job type: Part time / From 29/01/2025 - 28/01/2026
Organisation: Schools (Government)
Salary: Salary not specified
Occupation: Education and Training
Reference: 1454962
Selection Criteria SC1 `Content of teaching and learning'. Demonstrated ability to inform and influence the work of others involved in the engagement, mental health, wellbeing or learning of children and young people. SC2 `Teaching practice'. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to mental health, wellbeing or learning. SC3 `Assessment and reporting of student learning'. Demonstrated ability to support a student's mental health, wellbeing or learning by developing and maintaining connection with external services. SC4 `Interaction with the school community'. Demonstrated high level interpersonal skills and communication skills. Demonstrated high level of capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, other employees and the broader school community to focus on student learning, wellbeing and engagement. SC5 `Professional requirements'. Demonstrated ability to influence and negotiate by gaining buy-in and ownership for ideas, gaining agreement to proposals, or involving experts or other third parties to strengthen a case. Role The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System highlighted that primary schools provide opportunities to identify children with mental health and wellbeing challenges, who can then be referred to treatment, care and support.
The Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative is being expanded to every government and low-fee non-government primary school in Victoria. Scaling up across the state from 2023, by 2026 every primary school will be able to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader to implement a whole-school approach to wellbeing.
The Department of Education has been piloting the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative in Victorian schools since 2020 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot initiative has shown that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model has improved their school's capacity to support students' mental health and wellbeing needs.
Participating schools receive funding to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, a qualified teacher, to work across the school to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, staff and families based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.
The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:
build capability of the whole school with regard to mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention), provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs, establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress. The role provides a proactive focus for the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through assessment and implementation of context-relevant programs, approaches and initiatives based on a broad and extensive knowledge of the needs of the school.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role is not a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention. The role is seen as a key conduit in creating referral pathways once a teacher or other staff member identifies a concern in the classroom.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders are provided training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and receive ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Learning Communities. Training is developed and facilitated by the Faculty of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
Responsibilities Operating in collaboration with their school, leadership and wellbeing team where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:
Promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing to students, staff and families. Support teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence-based mental health strategies, interventions and programs and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students with mental health concerns. Collaborate with school staff to inform, influence and provide input into teaching and learning relating to mental health and wellbeing. Provide support to schools staff and classroom teachers to build their capabilities to embed mental health into the classroom. Work with school leadership and wellbeing teams to embed whole school approaches to mental health into school planning and strategic processes. Coordinate clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention. Proactively work with and support regional staff, school wellbeing and leadership teams, teachers, parents/carers and other external agencies to coordinate targeted mental health support for primary school students. Contribute to the school's existing wellbeing team. Who May Apply Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.
EEO AND OHS Commitment Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment-free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces.
Child Safe Standards Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards.
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools.
VIT LANTITE To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements.
Location Profile School Profile Established in 1874, Moyhu Primary School is located in a rural community in North East Victoria, 25 minutes South East of Wangaratta. The school is approximately 1.5 km from the centre of Moyhu, a small but busy town, which has a general store, hotel, café, garage, and a variety of sporting facilities. Moyhu Primary School is part of a group of local primary schools named the `King Valley Cluster¿.
Our Vision & School Philosophy Moyhu Primary School is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment for all students, staff, and members of our community. Our school recognises the importance of the partnership between our school and parents and carers to support student learning, engagement, and wellbeing.
We nurture confident, creative, caring, and resilient individuals who aspire to be the best they can be. Our objective is to ensure all students gain the skills, knowledge and understanding based on the Victorian Curriculum to enable them to successfully continue their education and working careers.
At Moyhu Primary School we aim to create the best learning environment and learning opportunities for your child. We provide each student with a positive educational setting to support student learning and development so they can thrive both academically and socially.
We value parental involvement as it plays a key role in the overall success of your child¿s education. Effective partnerships are important to Moyhu Primary School as they enrich wellbeing, achievement, and engagement.
Our school values are: · We are Learners.
· We are Respectful.
· We are Safe.
Our School Values are an integral part of the school community and are the foundation for our Positive Behaviour learning environment. Our values provide our school community with a shared understanding and a common language across the school for students, teachers, and families. All members of our school community are valued and supported to fully participate, learn, develop, and succeed within an inclusive school culture.
At Moyhu Primary School we aim to:
· Form healthy positive relationships with students.
· Promote student voice and agency.
· Hold high expectations of all students.
· Create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive classroom.
Learning Program The basic skills and foundations for future learning, together with attitudes, values and, most importantly, the desire for learning, are all cultivated at Moyhu Primary School.
Our learning curriculum is created using the framework of the Victorian curriculum. The curriculum is the common set of knowledge and skills required by students for life-long learning, social development, and active and informed citizenship.
As a small school we value each student as an individual by understanding their current abilities, strengths, and areas for improvement. We target & differentiate our learning programs to either small group, individual or modified tasks to ensure we meet each child at their point of learning.
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