Student Wellbeing
Our Wellbeing Program reflects the Mercy ethos by focusing on the holistic person and supporting them at each stage of psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual growth. Students who feel secure in their learning environment are more likely to show improvement in both social confidence and academic learning. That’s why we embed wellbeing into every year level, as well as in our curriculum, so that our students have the opportunity to explore and negotiate any difficulties or challenges that they anticipate or are experiencing.
Overall, our Wellbeing Program helps your daughter understand herself and prepares her to be receptive to the world with confidence. The key pillars of the Academy Wellbeing Program to:
- enhance a sense of belonging and connectedness to the College
- explore self-image
- develop social and emotional capabilities
- develop an awareness of mental health issues
- use restorative practices to build and maintain healthy relationships.
How does it help our girls?
The Academy Wellbeing Program helps each student by:
- enhancing resilience, such as being independent, taking risks, and self-acceptance
- refining individual decision-making capabilities
- building negotiating skills for relationships and friendships
- developing self-esteem and confidence
- imparting and actively practicing our values.
If you would like more information, download our Wellbeing Policy from, Policies, on the Resources page. For all College Child Protection & Safety Policies please go to, Policies, on the Resources page.
SchoolTV is a wellbeing resource implemented at our school to help support you in the challenges of modern-day parenting relating to youth mental health and wellbeing. Parenting is a learning journey and SchoolTV supports families by providing credible information from trusted sources with practical strategies to help alleviate some of the challenges being faced by young people today.
Watch video interviews with leading wellbeing specialists and browse a library of resources. Each topic is accompanied by factsheets, podcasts, books, articles, apps and other videos.
This award-winning resource helps families build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It will assist you in starting those conversations on topics that can sometimes be awkward or difficult to tackle. Go to academy.vic.schooltv.me
Student Support
Support initiatives for Academy students strive to reflect in their structure and practices, the quality and spirit of our traditional Mercy values. We endeavour to sustain unity and solidarity with all members our community, and to impart this worldview that enables the formation of the whole person.
Peer Mentoring
As part of our Year 7 Transition program, our Big Sister/Little Sister Program fosters positive peer relationships between Year 7 students and Year 12 students. The informal structure encourages relationships to build naturally and for senior students to practice leadership by offering support and guidance to younger students.
The College’s Peer Support Program trains senior Year 11 students to work with small groups of Year 7 students and be a positive peer influence by developing mutual friendship and comradery.
College Counsellor
Our college counsellor supports the Wellbeing Program with their skill in identifying potential challenges and setting strategies to problem solve with individual students. Students and parents can arrange private and confidential appointments with the college counsellor to discuss student difficulties, developing friendship issues, and family matters that may be affecting participation or performance.
Student Leadership
At Academy, leadership means getting involved in what is happening, both within the school and wider communities. Our curriculum and co-curricular programs strengthen our students’ courage to speak up for what they believe and to make a positive change.
From Years 7 to 11, students have the opportunity to be elected as class captain and can also apply for senior student leadership positions in Year 12, their final year at the College. Our student leaders are the stepping stones that connect students with teachers, and who foster relationships with the local and global community outside our walls.
The Academy student leadership team drives initiatives that encourage all students to understand their individual merits as leaders to influence change and bring everyone together, as equals.