fbpx
Contact Us Enrol Now Book a Tour

Faith Mission and Wellbeing Centre

Mon, 22/03/2021Posted by:

After a tumultuous and unpredictable year, 2021 has started with a glimmer of hope and promise that things will continue to improve for our College, community and world. There were many lessons from 2020, but perhaps none greater than the need to focus on what really matters in life, that is our care for our own wellbeing, our connection to faith and the need to support and have compassion for others.

Throughout the past few years and particularly last year, St John’s Anglican College has identified a growing need to support the holistic development of students and to further focus on the wellbeing support of staff. In line with St John’s Strategic Enterprise Model and because of the ongoing needs of the school community, this year a new Faith Mission and Wellbeing Centre was developed and unveiled at the Secondary campus.

The centre is home to a number of support staff, including Reverend Juliana Bate and College Psychologist, Rebecca Wright. Aligning closely with St John’s values, the centre is purposefully designed to offer students a safe, confidential environment to talk and problem-solve wellbeing concerns and to nurture spiritual growth.

The calmness of the space amidst a busy school day allows the time and opportunity for students and staff to reflect on their wellbeing and spirituality in a supportive environment. One student commented that “this place is so quiet and calm, it is nice to have this at school.” The process of reflecting on wellbeing means students can identify areas of need and work toward steps to creating some positive change in their lives. In turn, this can assist to reduce stress and worry levels, improve mental strength, increase gratitude and self-esteem, and overall enhance physical and psychological health.

Further feedback from students who have accessed the Faith Mission and Wellbeing space so far in 2021 has been positive, reporting that “knowing that we can access the Faith Mission and Wellbeing centre helps me to know that if things aren’t going well, I have somewhere to go.”

By enabling access to support and encouraging students to grow their spiritual self and to improve their wellbeing, students can realise their full potential and develop lifelong skills to be positive members of the global community. The Faith Mission and Wellbeing centre has been a welcome addition to the school and community and continues to build on St John’s vision.

 

Rebecca Wright
College Psychologist