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Newsletter Edition 4 – Friday 23 June 2023

23rd June 2023

In this Issue:

College Principal’s Report
Senior Years Campus – Principal’s Message
Middle Years Campus – Principal’s Message
Humanities
STEM
Language
Visual and Performing Arts
Wellbeing
Careers
Community Noticeboard

Upcoming Events

School Holidays

Dec 20 2024 – Jan 27 2025 all-day

Offices Open for 2025

Tickets

Jan 22 – Jan 24 all-day

Public Holiday

Jan 27 all-day

All Staff Return for 2025

Jan 28 all-day

Years 7, 10, 11 & 12 Start for 2025

Tickets

Jan 29 all-day

College Principal’s Report

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We are close to the end of a very busy term and both students and staff will be looking forward to the upcoming break. There has been much achieved this term and you will see this reflected in the reports from each Campus in this edition of the College Newsletter.

I have been very pleased with the way our Senior students have conducted themselves and really begin to focus on their academic progress. Our Year 10 exams took place last week and this is the first time that we have run examinations mid-year at the College. Students took this opportunity seriously and it will support them as they move towards more formal exam periods in VCE. Our Year 12 students have been working hard: completing revision sessions at the end of Unit 3, masterclasses and practice exams in English, and lots of catch-up assessment where required. It has been great to see our Study Centre and Library full of small groups of students working together to progress their learning. We are now approximately two thirds of the way through our Year12 students’ academic year which is an exciting milestone. I encourage all of our senior students to use their break well from a study perspective, but also to take time out to rest and recharge.

Our students at Middle Years are also progressing well. Students in Year 9 recently experienced City School for the first time and the way that they represented our college in the community was outstanding. I congratulate them and also thank their teachers for their hard work in making this happen. In the past two weeks we have been proud to send a number of delegations of students to local events to mark World Environment Day. In particular a student convention at the Whittlesea Shire Offices and a forum at Mill Park Library last Friday, where the Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio spoke with students from a number of schools. I am continuously impressed by our students and the way they represent our school at these type of events, and we are committed to taking advantage of as many as these opportunities as possible.

Across the school, Compass tools are being fine-tuned and rolled out to support better sharing of information, and consistency of approach, in particular in the wellbeing and engagement area. On average as a school our attendance data continues to be a concern although there is a significant amount of work across the college to support improvement in this area. Time away from school can occur due to a range of factors: many of which are unavoidable. We understand this, however the cumulative impact is significant and at present we have a significant percentage of students who have experienced more than 10 days absence across the year so far. I urge all families to discuss this issue at home and consider setting positive targets for attendance in Term 3. Every day counts and if we work together I am sure we can get this figure moving in the right direction.

At present we are working hard to upgrade learning spaces and other facilities within the school – in particular at the Middle Years Campus which is the older of our two school sites. Over the term break six classrooms will be fully refurbished with new carpet, painting and brand new furniture. This work, along with the upgrades that have occurred this term is long overdue and will be ongoing. I acknowledge the leadership of our campus principals, as well as the Business Manager and facilities team for pushing to make this happen and look forward to sharing some images of the work when it is complete.

As I write this report we have officially passed the solstice for 2023, the shortest day of the year, it will get warmer and brighter from here! I hope that all of our families have a safe and restful break and return positive and ready to go for Term 3. It will be a busy one and for our Year 8 – 11 students an exciting time as they attend our senior Campus Information Course Information Night on Wednesday 19 July. I look forward to seeing many of you at that event or in other forums at our school.

Senior Years Campus – Principal’s Message

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These last few weeks at the Senior Campus have been all about SAC’s and exams. As the Semester comes to an end, VCE students have been completing their SAC’s for each of their subjects and then all students that are studying a Year 12 class sat the GAT on Thursday 15 June.

The GAT was completed without a hitch, thanks to the meticulous preparatory work that went in beforehand by Mrs Clinton and the examiners.

Students did not seem stressed by the day, even though it was 2 hours in the morning and 1 ½ hours in the afternoon. Students have benefited this year by having most of their SAC’s under exam conditions in the Gym.

Year 10 Exams

Year 10 mid-year exams went off last really well. I was pleasantly surprised to see groups of students standing around on Thursday morning comparing their summary sheets. There was a buzz of anticipation (I wouldn’t exactly say excitement) about the exams and this group of students in the photo are not the ones I would normally expect to be discussing schoolwork.

English Lecture and Masterclass

On Wednesday 31 May, Ross Huggard, an ex-English examiner that has been working with the Year 12 English staff, ran a lecture during sessions 3 & 4 in the Library for all Year 12 students that study English. This was a very informative talk on how to improve their results in English. He put great emphasis on focusing on the How and Why when doing textual analysis instead of just describing the text with the What, Who and When.

Following this lecture, Ross gave a Masterclass to approximately 35 specially invited students, showing them what high level responses look like.

If the students take on the advice given, this should help them to improve their results in the mid year practice exam as well as the final exams at the end of the year.

As well as the academic work of preparing for SAC’s ad Exams, students at Mill Park Secondary College have been learning through their experiences while on excursions.

Year 12 Legal Studies excursion to Old Melbourne Goal and Parliament House

On Thursday 8 June, our Year 12 Legal Studies students embarked on a tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol and Parliament House!

Our students learned about the dangerous criminals that were held alongside petty offenders, the homeless, and the mentally ill.

Between 1842 and its closure in 1929 the gaol was the scene of 133 hangings including Australia’s most infamous citizen, the bushranger Ned Kelly. We were intrigued to discover what life was like for the men and women who lived and died there all those years ago.

At Parliament House, we were in complete awe while walking through the beautiful building’s rich architecture. Our students were so excited to enter the Legislative Chambers in the flesh after learning about how laws are back in their classrooms. They were delighted to sit in a Member of Parliament’s chair! They also participated in a role-play and enacted the various roles in Parliament when passing a law! Witnessing the ABC and Channel 9 News Crew on the stairs of Parliament gave our students real exposure to democracy in action! It was a fantastic day, our students behaved beautifully and participated with such enthusiasm!

Year 11 Outdoor Education camp to Great Otway National Park

On Tuesday 6 June, our Year 11 Outdoor and Environmental Studies class set off on their first camp to Great Otway National Park. On the way, they stopped off for a Surf in Anglesea, before arriving at the Blanket Bay campground for the first night. The following day, the group set off on a 12km hike to Cape Otway Lighthouse, loaded with all their gear to set up at the Cape Otway campsite. The group returned to school Thursday, a little weary from the trip, but feeling really positive after the challenges met, and connections made with each other. They now look forward to their Term 3 ski trip to Mt Stirling!

Middle Years Campus – Principal’s Message

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It is almost hard to believe that another term is coming to an end, and we are already halfway through the school year. Our Middle Year’s Campus has been a hub of activity and I wish to thank all the staff and students for their enthusiasm and positivity over the course of the first six months of the year.

This term, our Assistant Principal Ms Stephens, has worked hard to ensure our Middle Year’s students were able to complete the statewide Attitudes to School Survey. This allows students to express their thoughts and opinions in relation to areas of the school that they feel are working well, and areas they would like to see change. We look forward to getting this very valuable data back next term and working with our students to unpack our results and look at how we can continue to develop our College and be responsive to the needs of our students.

Students have also been competing PAT R, PAT M and PAT S testing this term. This testing helps us to gain further insight into student’s current levels of literacy, numeracy, and scientific skills. We are then able to utilise this data in the classroom to ensure a more targeted teaching program.

Our lunchtime clubs continue to gain momentum with students currently having the opportunity to take part in art, meditation, chess, and much more. I thank the dedicated staff who give up their break times to run these fantastic programs with our students.

I had the opportunity to watch our students involved in the Basketball Squad train late last week. This program allows students to gain additional skills and experience, as well as connecting with other staff and students interested in the game of basketball. A huge thank you to our staff led by Robyn Boyle for volunteering their time to run this program.

Our Year 9 students ventured out into city school this week. This two-day program allows students to immerse themselves in a range of learning activities, while also developing skills of navigation and independence in travelling around the CBD. I wish to acknowledge Ms Madzevska and her team for the fantastic job they did in preparing this program for our students. I also want to commend our students for the terrific feedback we received about their involvement in the program and their commitment to demonstrating our College values throughout their time in the city.

Our Year 7 students had a wonderful time out at the Melbourne Zoo, in the middle of the term and represented their College with pride. Students completed a range of learning activities at the zoo and were well supported by our staff who were able to enjoy this terrific experience with our Year 7 students.

We have had a huge number of sporting teams going out across the semester, representing Mill Park Secondary proudly. I wish to thank Mr Wilson and all staff who have dedicated additional time to ensuring students are able to go out and play sport, connecting with each other, and other students from a variety of schools.

Over the course of the next Semester, we look forward to continuing the work we are doing on our curriculum review and ensuring that we are further achieving the goals listed in our current Annual Implementation Plan. We are also excited to see the first of our newly refurbished block of classrooms at Middle Years, with the Upper B Block rooms being painted re-carpeted and re-furnished in the upcoming holidays. I thank our Resources Manager Mr Cetin for his work in this area.

Humanities

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On Monday 5 June, volunteer Humanities students from Years 7-12 attended the Whittlesea Youth Environment Summit.

The Youth Summit hosted 220 students from 19 different schools in the Whittlesea area, all eager to protect the environment of the Whittlesea area and improve environmental practices at their schools.

The summit was divided into four sessions, each aimed at empowering our students and promoting sustainability. In the initial session, students had the opportunity to engage with a panel of experts, posing tough questions related to sustainability and gaining valuable insights from their expertise. During the second session, three schools showcased their sustainability projects. While in the third session, students had the chance to participate in a hands-on workshop focused on student leadership development.

The final session of the day featured a thought-provoking short film titled “Regenerating Australia;” inspiring collaboration and the development of pledges that would foster a commitment to implementing sustainable practices within their respective school communities.

Our Mill Park Environment Group students committed to the following pledge that will be our focus for the remainder of the year:

We as the students of Mill Park Secondary College pledge to work together with our peers and surrounding community to continue to expand and increase our knowledge and understanding of environmental conservation. We will proceed by building an environmental action group with Years 7 through to 12 all contributing to better our planet. Through this action group we will start a recycling education program and encourage our emerging leaders to continue the cause of promoting correct recycling practice. We also promise to prioritise donation funds gathered towards conservation groups across Australia. And finally we will commit our remaining energy towards a sustainable garden, filled with native flora, which we hope will brighten our yard and encourage indigenous wildlife to return to our area.

Year 7 Humanities – 3D Liveable City Models

‘We wanted to build a 3D city for Humanities so we could get extra marks and to get a better awareness and understanding of planning cities and architecture. The first thing we did in our planning phase was get all the materials such as a board, foam, and paint. We started painting the board, we painted the beach, we let that dry, and then we painted everything green. We decided to paint a river down the middle of the board that leads from the beach down to the end of town where we put a dam, did you know that most major cities have a dam? We decided our power station should be hydro since we had a dam.

For the houses we used a little monopoly because the foam was too big, so we carved out foam into skyscrapers with a blade. Alistair decided to build an airport because Alistair likes planes. Arshia got clay, Alistair built a plane, Arshia built a house and a train and Arshia painted all the foam skyscrapers and stuck some monopoly houses down, so did Alistair. When Arshia could no longer come to Alistair’s house anymore Alistair decided to keep adding things to the city such as a pool, and the MCG. Alistair also added more planes to the airport and a cargo ship in the ocean. Then the next day the project was due so Alistair couldn’t do any more work on it.’ – Arshia and Alistair (Year 7)

STEM

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At the Senior Campus, students were lucky enough to have a loan of a Hitachi Desktop TM4000 Scanning Electron Microscope for a fortnight from GTAC. Our Year 10-12 students thoroughly enjoyed the experience of looking at a $400,000 microscope! Students had access to research-grade scientific equipment supported by STEM professionals and teacher expertise to inspire curiosity, questioning, science appreciation and ultimately, new generations of innovative pioneers.

Can you guess what the below photos are of close up?

Language

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Italian

We would like to thank all the students from Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 Italian who have participated in the Dante Alighieri poetry competition. They all did an incredible job in learning an Italian poem and recite it in front of an external judge. They were so brave! Some poems were written in a very old Italian, from the XIII century, yet the students were fantastic in learning them! Despite feeling a bit emotional, they all performed very well, and the Dante Alighieri Society’s feedback was very positive.

One third of students has been selected as finalists and will return to the competition grounds on the 21 July. I would like to acknowledge and celebrate all the students who have participated in the competition for their dedication and consistent work. A big thank you goes to their families too for supporting their children and encouraging them to be part of that event.

We want to thank Mr. Natoli for all the valuable support he offered to the students that day, cheering them up when they were ready to meet the judges!

We are preparing a special event at school, so that all the families can witness how great their children are when reciting Italian poetry. We will be able to provide you with every detail once it is finalised. Stay tuned!!

Preston Market Excursion – English Language Centre

On Friday 26 May, the English Language Centre students went on an excursion to the Preston Market.

Travelling by train, they arrived at the market in time for morning tea, where they shared some mini cannoli from the Italian Cannoleria. For some, this was the highlight of the excursion!

Students engaged in several activities such as a Fruit and Vegetable Challenge and a Meat and Seafood Bingo, in which they identified many familiar and unfamiliar foods, practicing their language skills to try and win the race.

Students enjoyed selecting lunch from a range of different food vendors and were encouraged to try something that they had never tried before. Students engaged confidently with stall holders and enjoyed the experience of using their speaking and listening skills in the community.

Students also shared items from their own cultural background that they found at the Preston Market. This was an enriching experience for all students and staff present!

Here are some student reflections on the Preston market excursion:

“What we learned from the Preston Market was teamwork, because the task was to find the colours of fruits and vegetables, some of which we couldn’t find. So we chose to ask the people around us, where we dared to express ourselves. We studied Vietnamese, Arabic and other foreign languages because the friends in my group are from Vietnam and Saudi Arabia. Thong read Vietnamese from the Vietnamese shops and recommended menus to us.” – Thong, Jack, Lara and Yihan

“I like the environment and the food shops and weird fruits. It’s like an old bazaar.” – Arsham, Jashan and Kehao

“The first activity we did in Preston Market was about finding different fruits and vegetables. The second activity was about eating different traditional food. The third activity was bingo. We had to find different kinds of meat. I enjoyed very much because I went with my friends. I liked how big was the market. I learnt more about how to deal with people.” – Maoxiang and Ibrahim

“At the Preston Market we leaned to work in a group and to respect each other or the people in there. At the Preston Market, we liked they have many fruit and vegetable, the cannoli and the different food.” – Milad

Visual and Performing Arts

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College Production – ROCK OF AGES July 2023

Not long to go! As Term 2 comes to an end the production team are continuing to work with the talented cast and band in preparation for the five amazing live performances on stage at the Plenty Ranges Arts & Convention Centre in July. With an intensive rehearsal on the last day of term and school holiday rehearsals, the creative team will ensure everyone will be well prepared for the upcoming shows in Week 3 of Term 3. We are excited to bring this musical to stage soon! Join the audience and enjoy the show.

Two evening performances only. Book your Tickets now!

Year 9 Drama

In Year 9 Drama students have been working enthusiastically on an original play titled “Santa’s Revenge”. Student’s worked collaboratively to devise the original script and their characters often bouncing ideas off of each other in a creative manner. The class were lucky enough to perform in front of their peers in their last session and did a fantastic job!

Isabella: “For drama we have been writing, blocking and choreographing, then performing our own original play. It is called ‘Santa’s Revenge’ and it’s about a group of criminals who go to steal the ‘Ecuadorian Gem’. It was a lot of fun writing and acting out this play and we all learned some new skills too!”

Mural Project

The Year 10 Painting & Drawing students have been working with well known Victorian Aboriginal artist, Ray Thomas, in preparation for the mural design which will be painted on the Wellbeing wall at the Senior campus. The project commenced during ‘Reconciliation Week’ this term and work will continue during Term 3.

Ray Thomas is a multi talented artist who was greatly influenced by Yorta Yorta contemporary landscape artist, the late Lin Onus. Since the mid 1980s, Ray has been devoting his time researching his Gunai people’s stories including their history and cultural icons. He has won many art awards and has created designs on Victorian trams and many murals within Victoria. His artwork is showcased in various art collections including the National Gallery of Victoria and the Melbourne Museum. Some of his most recent murals have been at the Thornbury Kindergarten, Mill Park Aquatic Centre and the Mill Park Stadium.

This mural project provides the opportunity for students to work in collaboration with the artist and build on the important relationships between reconciliation, education and wellbeing. Students will continue to be involved in workshops and developing mural paintings based on caring for the environment and ‘Care for Country’. They will learn about cultural stories and designing and painting techniques for the mural and the themes explored by the artist and of ‘Narragunnawali’ – meaning alive, well-being, coming together and peace.

VCE and Year 10 Music Night

On Monday 19 June, our Music Night was held in the Senior Campus Library. The Music Night provided VCE Music and Year 10 students with the opportunity to present their assessed repertoire to an audience beyond the classroom.

Students performed a mixture of solo and group works in a range of music genres. The concert provided an opportunity to develop their performance techniques and expressive interpretation and re-creation of musical elements. Students have been developing these interpretations throughout Semester 1. The Year 12 students will use the repertoire performed in their final VCE exams later in November.

Students from the Year 10 Music technology elective were involved in managing the live sound production building on their skills learnt in class including the stage plot and using the mixing desk. The music was enjoyed and supported by families, friends, students and staff who were part of the audience. It was great to see students performing to a live audience.

The Instrumental Music staff Ms Blackburn, Mr Pijpers, Mr DeLeucio, and Music staff Mr Gooding and Mrs Nagel supported the students in preparation for the live performance. Congratulations and thank you to Mrs Nagel for organizing and providing the opportunity for students to perform. Thank you to our parents and friends who came along.

Music at MYC

Students at MYC have been preparing for the School of Rock Festival which they will perform at on Thursday 22 June at Melrose Receptions. Vocal and Instrumental students involved in the Monday and Wednesday extra-curricular bands will be performing. Thanks to Mr Gooding and Ms Blackburn for preparing the students. We hope they all have an enjoyable day.

Year 8 and 9 music classes have finished the semester creating original digital-music on Soundtrap and Year 9 students have recently been introduced to using launchpads.

VCE Media

Year 11 Media students have been working on their final outcome ‘Australian Stories’. They were required to record, edit, and submit a Podcast which analysed the codes and conventions, direction, acting and themes of the indigenous film Yolngu Boy. Students had to devise a script, work collaboratively and create an engaging audio piece that showcased their learning.

Kool Skools Recording project.

A wide range of students submitted demo-tracks to audition for the Kool Skools Recording project. The Music team is very excited to announce that our 2023 CD will be made up of 12 student-written original songs. Styles include EDM, Ballad, Rock, Indie, Instrumental, Blues, and Contemporary. We will rehearse and refine songs throughout term 3 and will head to Empire Studios at the end of August.

Wellbeing

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National Reconciliation Week

Reconciliation Week remains the same each year – 27 May to 3 June – which commemorates two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023, “Be a Voice for Generations”, encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in everyday life. It urges all Australians to use their power, words, and actions to create a better. Here is a small clip on NRW 2023

The student wellbeing ambassadors and wellbeing team hosted a fundraising sausage sizzle across both campuses, to contribute towards supporting local artist(s) in purchasing Aboriginal artwork to display at the school.

Term 3 Lunchtime Programs/Activities

Term 2 saw the official launch of various lunchtime activities across both campuses. Activities will continue in Term 3 with Wellbeing Wednesdays at Middle Years Campus and Wellbeing Thursdays at Senior Campus, which will include the below:

Open sessions during recess or lunch, where students can drop in for an informal chat, access resources, or learn how to get more formal support.
Afternoon tea for parents to meet and have a chat with wellbeing staff
Breakfast club at senior campus on Friday mornings via Food Bank
Art program: paint by numbers or free paint on canvas, jewellery making, face mists (facilitated by Innovation Youth Centre).
Yoga at middle years campus
Giant games and board games including Jenga, connect 4, corn holes (bag toss), sequence, uno, chess, to name a few.
Toasties, smoothies, or fresh juices on Tuesdays during recess
Sport / Gym activities facilitated by Reclink Australia
Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) drop-in service at Senior Campus to speak with a AOD worker from Youth Projects.

Information for Students and Parents/Carers

Staying healthy over the school holidays

For some young people, school holidays can be challenging. Our usual routine is taken away, such as not seeing friends, teachers as often as we may like, potentially resulting in feeling bored, unsupported, and sometimes anxious.

Here are some ways to help look after yourself:

Eat well: good balanced diet can help with sleep, energy levels, and general health and wellbeing. This means less fun foods (e.g., high in sugar) and more foods such as veggies, fruits, whole grains, and water.

Sleep well: developing a sleep routine can help you sleep better (e.g., try to wake up the same time each day, regardless of what time you get to bed)

Be socially active and get involved: spending time with friends help build and keep existing friendships. You could get involved with volunteer work, hobbies, clubs, or sports to help keep connected with the community whilst also meeting new people.

Play: make time to just have fun to recharge your battery and reduce stress and anxiety.

Remember to also look out for your friends and loved ones and check in to see how they are doing. If you are worried about them, you can let them know that you are there to help.

Smoking and vaping: Advice for Parents

Help your child understand the facts and the health risks of smoking and vaping.

What is smoking and vaping?

Smoking is burning something to breathe smoke into the lungs, such as a cigarette. Vaping is breathing in vapor from heated liquid.

Both smoking and vaping involve breathing in chemicals that can harm your health.

E-cigarettes or vapes heat liquid to create an aerosol that is breathed in, which is known as vaping. E-cigarettes can look like a highlighter, a pen or USB.

What is in vaping liquid?

There are no quality or safety standards for e-cigarettes, vapes or vaping liquids.

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine which is harmful and addictive. Even those labelled nicotine-free can still contain nicotine.

The aerosol or vapor from e-cigarettes contains cancer-causing chemicals and heavy metals.

How vaping affects your child’s body?

Vaping can cause significant harm to your child’s body:

Short-term it can cause vomiting, nausea, coughing, shortness of breath, mouth irritation and asthma
Long-term it can cause lung damage, heart disease and cancers.

E-cigarettes are still being studied, but most experts think it is likely vaping will cause lung and mouth cancers.

Nicotine is a poison that can make people sick if swallowed, and it has been linked to deaths of small children.

Exposing children and teens to nicotine can harm their brain development and lead to higher risk of dependence. Children and teens who use e-cigarettes are more than three times more likely to move onto smoking cigarettes.

E-cigarettes can also explode and catch fire.

Protecting your child

Research shows that children are less likely to smoke or vape if their primary role models (typically parents or carers) do not smoke or vape.

If you have found quitting difficult and still smoke or vape, share your experiences with your child.
Ask your children for their support during your next quit attempt. If your child can witness how tough quitting can be, they may want to steer clear of smoking or vaping completely.

The best way to protect your children is to never smoke or vape in the house or other places where there may be children nearby. Smoking or vaping in a car when children are present is illegal. Passive exposure to e-cigarette aerosol can be damaging for children and young people.

Vaping laws

Smoking and vaping is banned in and around schools

The Tobacco Act 1987 bans smoking or vaping on school premises or within 4 metres of any pedestrian access point to school premises. The smoking and vaping ban applies to:

anyone present on school premises during and outside of school hours including students, teachers, and school visitors
all activities that take place on school premises.

Smoking and vaping are also not permitted during school events and excursions held off school premises.

Health and retail laws

It is illegal for any person:

to sell, barter or exchange any type of tobacco or e-cigarette product to a person under 18 years of age
to possess an e-cigarette containing nicotine, unless they have a doctor’s prescription
to smoke or vape in a motor vehicle if a person under 18 years is also present in the motor vehicle.

You can report retailers selling e-cigarette products to children to your local council.

Talking to your child or teen about smoking and vaping

As a parent or carer, you have an important role in protecting your child from smoking and vaping. Parent views on smoking and vaping can influence their children’s behaviours. The most important thing you can do is to talk to your child or teen about smoking, vaping and other drugs.

Use these strategies to talk with your child or teen.

Start with information
Get the key facts, learn the basics about smoking and vaping products, and think through what you want to say. Consider some questions you might be asked, and how you want to respond.
Approach it calmly
Start the conversation when you’re doing an activity together, such as driving or preparing a meal. Keep things casual and relaxed. Use something you saw in a TV show or on the news as a chance to bring up the issue.
Don’t make assumptions

If you think your child may have tried smoking or vaping, avoid making accusations. Some experts do not recommend searching your child’s space for evidence of smoking or vaping, because it can undermine their trust.

Avoid judging or lecturing

Listen to their point of view and keep it a two-way conversation. Being mindful to keep your body language and tone respectful can go a long way. If your child has tried smoking or vaping, consider asking questions like: ‘what made you want to try?’ and ‘how did it make you feel?’

Don’t exaggerate

Make sure you are honest about potential harms and avoid exaggerated statements.

Focus on health and explain your concerns

Talk about how you care about your child’s health. For example, if your child tells you they are smoking or vaping, you can say you are concerned about the health risks and share the evidence that this can affect adolescent brain development and risk of cancer.

Where to get help

Support and resources are available to help you talk to your child about smoking and vaping

Quit Victoria
Offers resources, information and support for people to quit smoking and vaping as well as factsheets for parents and children about. www.quit.org.au/articles/teenvaping

The Royal Children’s Hospital

The e-cigarettes and teens factsheet has information on how to talk to teens about the health risks of using e-cigarettes and a podcast episode on vaping created by paediatricians. www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/E-cigarettes_and_teens

Better Health Channel

Information on the health effects of smoking, strategies for quitting, statistics and Victoria’s laws on smoking, the dangers of e-cigarettes, liquid used in e-cigarettes and the dangers of nicotine poisoning. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/healthyliving/smoking-and-tobacco

Your family doctor

Your family doctor is a good place to start for further information and advice regarding smoking and vaping and your child.

Advice services

Quitline provide advice and confidential counselling, including for children from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Phone 13 78 48 or go to quit.org.au
DirectLine is a state-wide alcohol and other drugs advice service offering confidential counselling and referral 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Phone 1800 888 236 or go to directline.org.au
Youth, Drugs and Alcohol Advice provide a youth-specific advice service from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Phone 1800 458 685
Alcohol and Drug Foundation advice line 1300 85 85 84
Headspace offer mental health support online, by phone and in person through headspace centres. Go to headspace.org.au

More information

This factsheet has been prepared using information and research from:

QUIT – quit.org.au/articles/teenvaping
Better Health Channel betterhealth.vic.gov.au/healthyliving/smoking-and-tobacco
Royal Children’s Hospital – rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/E-cigarettes_and_teens
Alcohol and Drug Foundation – https://adf.org.au/talking-about-drugs/parenting/vaping-youth/talking-about-vaping/
Cancer Council Victoria – tobaccoinaustralia.org.au
Tobacco Act 1987 – legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/tobacco-act-1987/095

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) drop-in service at Senior campus

As part of Wellbeing Thursdays at Senior campus, we have partnered with Youth Projects who will have a AOD worker, available to students at lunchtime.

At Youth Projects, the Youth Northern Outreach Team (YNOT) is equipped to provide an Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) drop-in service for students. This service aims to assist in making informed decisions regarding drug and alcohol usage and ultimately minimize potential harm. The drop-in space offers an informal environment for students to ask any questions they may have, away from the classroom. The YNOT team is dedicated to providing support and guidance to those struggling with their substance use, as well as those who may have concerns about friends or family. Furthermore, the team is available to provide education and information about the effects and impact of various substances, including vaping, which is a growing concern among young people. The YNOT team continually researches up-to-date information about the risks and harms associated with substance use and can provide relevant education to those seeking assistance.