Staff and Student Wellbeing

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." [Frederick Douglass]

What is wellbeing? Professor Donna Cross has explained that wellbeing is an outcome. It is a product of, or is enhanced by, an effective pastoral care system. It is "… a person's ability to consciously manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and demonstrate compassion towards others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions." Wellbeing involves an individual developing a sense of self-efficacy and self-worth, a sense of social connectedness, and a belief in (and the skills necessary to ensure) good physical, mental and spiritual health in them and those around them. Central to all of this is a sense of agency; that the individual believes he or she has a degree of control over his or her life and has the strength of character to deal with difficulties and overcome challenges.

Scotch College strives, to provide an environment which enables every student to flourish. We seek to develop within each of our students a curiosity about the world and a desire to make that world a better place. We hope that the structure and breadth of experiences both inside and out of the classroom, will enable each young man to find purpose and passion. Our aim is to assist them in becoming resilient enough that they do not have to be repaired.

For this to happen, they must feel safe and valued. This is what lies at the core of our pastoral care system: knowing each boy and caring about what happens to him.

In coming editions of 'The Thistle', I look forward to explaining the direction that the College will be taking to streamline and strengthen what we currently do to enhance the wellbeing of our students and our staff. I also look forward to outlining my role as Director of Student and Staff Wellbeing, a position I started at the beginning of this term.

Mr James Hindle

Director of Student and Staff Wellbeing