Teachers and school staff in the City of Casey will benefit from targeted preventive programs designed to safeguard their mental health and wellbeing, thanks to a State Government initiative.
Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas announced on Wednesday 17 March that Narre Warren South P-12 College is among 17 schools across Victoria that will share in $700,000 as part of the Safe and Well Initiative.
Narre Warren South P-12 College will spend their grant money on delivering tailored wellbeing sessions designed to build team relationships and reunite staff to create a more positive working environment and improve the mental health, safety and wellbeing of their staff.
The Safe and Well Initiative is the latest in a series of initiatives designed to safeguard the mental health and wellbeing of school staff across the state.
The wellbeing of school staff is central to creating a positive school culture for teaching and learning. Schools thrive when principals, teachers and education support staff thrive.
“Narre Warren South P-12 College is a fantastic local school and this investment will help the staff achieve their very best at work and in life,” Mr Maas said.
“The recent Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System has shown the importance of mental health support in our community and funding of this wellbeing program at Narre Warren South P-12 College will ensure that staff are more equipped to continue providing a high-quality education.”
The Safe and Well Initiative is part of $51 million in State Government funding, delivered over four years, to deliver a range of reforms that support staff safety, employee wellbeing and reforms to health and safety.
The Safe and Well in Education Strategy 2019-2024 puts the health, safety and wellbeing of all school employees first and recognises that mental health is just as important as physical health.
A key priority in the strategy is to improve mental health and wellbeing which is being achieved by providing improving mental health supports for school staff.
The announcement of the initiative follows the recent release of the final report from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System earlier this month.
The State Government has committed to implementing every recommendation in the report.
