The Wellbeing Team is a critical space within our school community.
In a traditional school setting, where students are physically on site, the pathway to support is often clear. A student visits the wellbeing office in a moment of need. The roles are defined: the student seeks help, the psychologist listens, guidance is offered, a plan is formed, and the student returns to class.
At our school, that picture looks quite different.
Many students come to us carrying complex personal, medical or social needs. For some, these challenges are what first brought them to seek a flexible learning pathway. The Wellbeing Team’s core purpose is to optimise each student’s capacity to engage and participate in their education- not by replicating what a mainstream school might offer, but by finding what works for the individual student in their own circumstances.
Sometimes the need for support is identified through enrolment information and documentation, prompting the Wellbeing Team to reach out proactively. At other times, a student who has been quietly disengaged may find the courage to connect for the first time. However, the conversation begins, once a support plan is established, the unique nature of our school means that most interactions take place online.
In this environment, empathy becomes not just important, but essential. Without the cues of a shared physical space, the Wellbeing Team relies on careful listening, thoughtful communication and genuine understanding to build trust and support students where they are.
Our Team Approach
Because our students are dispersed right across Victoria, the Wellbeing Team works in close partnership with families and external professionals to connect each student with the right support, close to home. Rather than positioning itself as the sole source of help, the team advocates, coordinates and guides- ensuring that the people already in a student’s life are equipped and informed.
This looks different for every student. It might mean liaising with a psychologist or health professional to align on a support plan, or working alongside Learning Advisors and teachers to make sure their approach reflects a student’s additional needs. Where local services have broken down, the team steps in directly while things are being re-established. For students with an Individual Education Plan, the team takes on ongoing oversight to make sure those commitments are honoured.
Building Capacity Across Our School
The Wellbeing Team’s influence extends beyond individual students. A significant part of the team’s work involves building the capacity of staff across the school- developing policies, sharing knowledge and strengthening the whole school’s ability to respond to student wellbeing needs. In this way, every teacher and Learning Advisor becomes better equipped to recognise and respond to the students in their care.
Our Wellbeing Team brings together a combined total of over 100 years of experience working within this unique school environment. Over time, they have developed a deep understanding of the complex and varied circumstances that lead students and families to seek out a flexible learning pathway.
This experience has shaped an approach grounded in empathy. Team members know that behind every enrolment form, message or referral is a young person navigating their own challenges- whether that be anxiety, health issues, disrupted schooling or the need for a different pace of learning.
With this understanding, the team works to create spaces where students feel safe to speak openly, even through a screen. Through careful listening, consistent communication and genuine care, the Wellbeing Team helps students rebuild confidence, re-engage with learning and feel that they belong.
We celebrate the work of our Wellbeing Team. By encouraging your child to complete the Attitudes to School Survey, you help us better understand student experiences and continue strengthening a culture of empathy and care. Take the survey. Students are reminded to refer to the ‘2026 AtoSS’ email that included their unique survey student ID and log-in information. (These are different to VSV log-in credentials.) Please contact your Learning Advisor if you have any questions.
Thank you to Nicole Edwards for sharing her insights and experience from the Wellbeing Team, and for her collaboration in shaping this article.