Schools
We are passionate about providing support to schools that complement and enhance the value you add to your families. We have a special interest in working with all levels of schools to identify opportunities to improve the pastoral care and wellbeing provided in your school. Our niche skill-set is in providing a range of services to specific groups within your school community. These services include individual support, group programs, professional development and presentations.
ConectEd School PD
School Psychologists and Counsellors PD
Tailor-made live and on-demand webinars (plus resources), designed specifically for school psychologists and counsellors. Covering the practical, important and challenging aspects of your role in schools.
Pastoral carers PD
Tailor-made live and on-demand webinars (and resources), designed specifically for Pastoral Carers in Schools. Supporting you with practical insights, strategies and considerations to address the unique challenges faced in these roles (e.g. year level coordinators, heads of house, deputies and principals).
Consultancy
With over a decade of experience in providing support and guidance to schools, our team have significant experience in supporting schools to reflect on their pastoral care and wellbeing services to ensure they are providing the highest quality support.
Some examples of what we can provide:
Strategic planning of pastoral care frameworks and goals, including whole school practices, teacher-led pastoral care programs, school counselling departments/staff and learning support
Enhancing the quality of pastoral care teams and their work together, including pastoral care teachers, counselling, learning support, senior leadership
Developing processes in support of students with significant mental ill-health, including supporting students at risk of suicide/significant self-harm, school-based adjustments and collaborative work between school and home
Review and development of pastoral care programs and content
Improving student leadership and student voice within the school community
Please note that these are example topics (let us know if something specific you want that is not on this list – we will most likely have presented on this or have the knowledge and expertise to do so)
Students
Our team are highly experienced in providing pastoral care programs to students. We are able to personalise and offer a wide range of presentations to cater for the needs of your students, including:
- Mental health literacy (knowledge of mental health and help-seeking behaviours)
How to support your friends
Healthy relationships
Study skills and organisation
Preparing for assessment
Character strengths
Mindfulness
Managing social media
Vaping (as well as other protective behaviours)
Please note that these are example topics (let us know if something specific you want that is not on this list – we will most likely have presented on this or have the knowledge and expertise to do so)
Our engaging and interactive presentations are designed to complement pre-existing school pastoral care programs. From our experience, this is essential for the greatest impact on the students in your care. Some examples of what we can offer are:
Formats:
Short presentation (approx 15min) – suitable for assemblies
Whole period (approx 1hr) – suitable for year levels, smaller groups within a year level
Small group programs (approx 45min-1hr) – suitable for specific groups
Presentation style (can be a combination of options below)
Information-based + Questions
Extended Q&A formats (“Ask Dr Matt your questions”)
Multi-part presentations (e.g. a presentation each term that builds on a theme/topic)
For all our presentations or programs, we will also provide follow-up options, which include:
Additional resources to use in pastoral care time
Toolkits for school staff to utilise in support of the presentation/program
Follow-up presentation/video to reinforce key messaging from the presentation/program
Parents
For students to make the most of the opportunities on offer at school, and work to their fullest potential, it is imperative that there are connections between the student, the school and home (the parents and/or carer).
Parents will continue to play the most important role in supporting their children. At ConnectEd, we have a passion for providing parents with the knowledge and skills to promote health and wellbeing, which is fundamental to positive outcomes and personal fulfilment.
Our experienced staff of school leaders and mental health professionals provide presentations/webinars, programs and groups to support parents in your school. Our evidence-based work compliments your pastoral care program and provides another avenue of support to young people and families. Contact us to learn more about personalising a program that will best meet the needs of parents within your school community.
Example topics:
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Supporting your child’s mental health and wellbeing
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Building strong relationships with your child/teenager
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Technology and wellbeing
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Parenting strategies and support
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Developing routines at home to support learning
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Managing and responding to your child’s emotions
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Supporting you and your child to manage stress
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Creating a strong relationship between school and home
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School transitions (e.g. Prep, High School)
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Risk-taking and supporting your teenager
Please note that these are example topics (let us know if something specific you want that is not on this list – we will most likely have presented on this or have the knowledge and expertise to do so).
Formats (can all be done in-person or online and can be flexible with delivery length)
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Short presentation (approx 15min) – suitable for brief presentation at parent information sessions
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Extended presentation (approx 1hr-1.5+hrs) – suitable for sessions specifically targeting a concept
Presentation style (can be a combination of options below):
-
Information-based + Questions
-
Extended Q&A formats (“Ask Dr Matt your questions”)
-
Multi-part presentations (e.g. a presentation each term that builds on a theme/topic)
School staff
At ConnectEd we are passionate about ‘caring for the carers’. Working within a school community has never been more challenging (and stressful!) with increased demands, pressures and expectations with less time and energy to look after your own needs and those of your family. Educators are expected to teach their students about wellbeing and implement practices to support this, however, often neglect to take care of themselves. In support of our amazing school colleagues, we provide a range of services that supports the professional and the personal
Professional mentoring of pastoral care staff
Supporting school pastoral care staff to reflect on and improve their work. See here for more detailed information about what this involves
Professional development
Our team have significant expertise in delivering training to school staff, on a range of topics relating to mental health and wellbeing, and pastoral care
Formats:
Brief presentation (approx 15min) – suitable for staff meetings to address a specific topic
Standard presentations (approx 1hr) – suitable for large/small groups of staff to address a specific topic
Extended training (half day – through to multi-day) – suitable for staff wishing to undertake in-depth training in one/several topics
Example topics include:
Mental health literacy – knowledge of mental health, illness and help-seeking behaviours
On-the-spot counselling – supporting staff to have initial conversations regarding mental health
Supporting students with social-emotional difficulties in the classroom.
Please note that these are example topics (let us know if something specific you want that is not on this list – we will most likely have presented on this or have the knowledge and expertise to do so)