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School safety project

Projects

 

2011 National Safe Schools Framework

Helen and Toni (in conjunction with Erebus International) have re-developed the new 2011 National Safe Schools Framework.  The Framework is designed as a school-friendly document to assist schools in developing safe and supportive teaching and learning communities that promote student wellbeing.

 

The Framework adopts a whole school approach to safety and wellbeing. It combines good school practices, research-based literature, and feedback from representatives from all educational systems, and sectors across Australia.

 

The Framework was endorsed by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA in December 2010 and is now available from Australian Government website early in 2011.

 

 

The Australian Government’s (DEEWR) Scoping Study into Approaches to
Student Wellbeing

Toni was the principal investigator in a Scoping Study on Student Wellbeing in conjunction with Helen. This collaborative project for DEEWR also involved Erebus International, Associate Professor Louise Rowling and Dr Sue Roffey.

 

The scoping study, commissioned by the Australian Government, explores the relationship student wellbeing and academic achievement at school, behaviour and mental health. The project also incorporated consultations with 26 national and international ‘experts’ in the field of wellbeing as well as key educational stakeholders representing all states and territories and school systems, classroom teachers and university-based educators in Education faculties.

 

The project produced a 35,000-word literature review of the research evidence for the links between student wellbeing and student learning and made recommendations for the feasibility of a National Framework in Student Wellbeing

 

Click here to access the literature review and the student wellbeing scoping study.

 

 

National Safe Schools Best Practices
Grant Project

Working with the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, Helen was the principal consultant, with Toni as a key Advisor, for the implementation and evaluation of projects by 171 schools of the original 2003 Australian Government’s National Safe Schools Framework. The 171 schools were drawn from all states and territories and school systems

 

Helen’s 2007 summary report of the project titled Making Australian Schools Safer can be downloaded here.

 

Helen’s summary of the project can also be found here.

A Review 0f Anti-Bullying Practices in
Victorian Schools

In 2005 Helen was the chief investigator for a research study, commissioned by the Victorian Department of Education, that surveyed the prevalence of bullying in Victorian schools. The study also reviewed the many effective anti-bullying practices used by those schools that had successfully reduced bullying to very low levels. This study was the springboard for the anti-bullying guidelines that were part of the Department’s Safe Schools are Effective Schools initiative introduced in Victorian government schools in 2006. These guidelines provided clear advice on strategies to prevent, and respond to, bullying.

 

More recently this initiative has been updated as ‘Building Respectful and Safe Schools’. More details can be downloaded from this location.

 

 

School Attendance

In 2007 Helen was the Chief Investigator working with a research team to evaluate the impact of the ‘It’s Not Ok to Be Away’ Program, the Victorian Department of Education’s initiative to enhance school attendance. See this link for an update on this successful initiative.

 

 

eSMART Schools

In conjunction with the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, Helen worked as the senior architect, with a development team on the school-based eSmart framework, with Toni as a consultant in this process. This whole-school cybersafety and wellbeing framework assists students, teachers and the wider school community to embrace the best that new communication technologies and media can offer, while being savvy about the risks.

 

Helen’s literature review of the research into young people's use of technology can be downloaded here.

2ndEdition_Youngpeopleandtechnology_LitReview_June202009.pdf

 

For more information and details of how to register to become an eSMART school click on this link.

 

 

Cybersafety Pre-Service Training Resources

Toni worked with representatives from the Australian Government’s Australian Communications and Media Authority and colleagues at ACU to trial a 50 minute resource lecture and a ninety minute tutorial to support pre-service teacher training in cybersafety. To express interest in the resources click here.