SWAP is Launched
SWAP is launched Teachers, school leaders, parents and the wider community will benefit from a new online resource about student wellbeing that was launched recently in a joint venture between the Catholic Education Office Melbourne (CEOM) and the University of Melbourne's Melbourne Graduate School of Education.
SWAP (Student Wellbeing Action Partnership) features articles and resources about student wellbeing, including ideas about countering cyber-bullying. It also provides access to current research being conducted by postgraduate students in student wellbeing programs.
The Director of Catholic Education, Stephen Elder, said the health and wellbeing of students was a major priority for every Catholic school. "Our young people can only learn effectively if they are working in a safe and secure environment. The CEOM supports teachers and schools to implement a whole school approach to student wellbeing, focusing on school improvement and enhanced learning outcomes.
We welcome the opportunity to extend our partnership with the University of Melbourne in this vitally important area," said Mr Elder.
The role of the CEOM's student wellbeing unit is to 'support and empower' school communities as they care for the wellbeing of their students. Leadership in school communities is a special focus of this work. Student wellbeing is set within a framework of a strategic whole school approach, the promotion of student resilience and the primary prevention and early intervention model. Partnerships are a key aspect of this endeavour.
Prof Field Rickards, Dean of Education at the University of Melbourne, said the student wellbeing area had become increasingly important. "More than 800 teachers have been sponsored to undertake the School's postgraduate course in student wellbeing since 1999. The SWAP website reflects the School's commitment to partnerships and knowledge transfer and will provide further exciting opportunities to promote the wellbeing of young people in our schools by sharing the benefits of research, teaching and learning with the wider education community."
Originally published in Kairos Catholic Journal, Volume 18, No 20
