School launches wellbeing hub

Cardiff Sixth Form College has launched a new wellbeing hub to help support its students during the coronavirus pandemic.

The website includes videos, website links, suggestions for self-care as well as resources, useful Apps and information on managing mental health.  In addition, there is guidance on healthy eating, getting into good sleeping habits, meditation and the benefits of regular exercise.

The website also details links and contacts for counselling, wellbeing, house parents and pastoral staff at the college who are available to talk to students at any time, as well as external contacts from a wide variety of organisations all linked to student health and wellbeing.

‘Whilst we are all currently separated it is important to remember we are part of the Cardiff Sixth Form College community,’ said Lisa Morton, Head of Pastoral Care. ‘We wanted to give our students some information, resources and apps to look at if they are struggling, as well as being able to talk directly to the staff about any issues they are having.  The situation is challenging for us all but it is important during this time for our students and families to know we are all in this together and support is at hand.’

Lisa Morton and her team have also created the CREATE Portfolio at the College, designed to enhance and promote positive mental health and wellbeing by developing students’ skills and knowledge outside of their curricular studies.  The aim of the programme is to help students become independent, self-sufficient young adults with a genuine care and interest in others in the world. 

Split into six key areas, the portfolio demonstrates how positive mental health and wellbeing are explicit in all areas of life and is linked to local and national mental health initiatives and positive psychology models.  Each letter of CREATE has its own theme – community, respect, engage, active, thrive and enrich – and students are set key tasks over a two year period such as volunteering, university application preparedness and staying active resulting in bronze, silver, gold or platinum awards.

The CREATE Portfolio has been nominated for a number of awards including the i25 Awards and the ISA Awards and won the Welsh Independent Schools Council Wellbeing Initiative Award.  The College is currently pursuing accreditation for the programme which has been extremely well received by all students at Cardiff Sixth Form College.