Student Welfare Support Team
Guidance Officer
Nikki Shaw
Available – Monday - Friday
The Guidance Officer is a fully qualified counsellor who provides confidential counselling on educational, vocational and personal issues.
Guidance counsellors help empower students to meet the challenges they face, as well as help them cope with complex decisions making that comes with adolescence. This service is provided to all students and their parents/carers on an individual or family basis.
Throughout the year, the guidance counsellors help students with career decisions, subject selections and with the applications for universities and TAFE colleges through the QTAC application process.
School Based Youth Health Nurse
Melanie Sullivan
Available – Monday, Tuesday and every 2nd Wednesday
The School-based Youth Health Service is delivered in partnership with Education Queensland to address the health and wellbeing of the young people and the school communities in Brisbane state secondary schools.
School-based youth health nurses provide:
Individual health consultations with assessment, support, health information and referral options related to:
- Healthy eating and exercise
- Relationships
- Personal and family problems
- Feeling sad, worried and angry
- Sexual health
- Smoking, alcohol and other drugs
- Growth and development
- Promoting health and wellbeing with a “whole school approach" to support the development of healthy school environments.
- Making recommendations on health resources to support curriculum, teaching and learning activities in schools.
The school-based youth health nurse does not provide medical treatments, first aid, medications, physical examinations, or ongoing counselling.
Youth Support Coordinator
Chris Perry
Available – Monday - Friday
The Youth Support Coordinators (YSC) provide a confidential service to young people who are at risk of disengaging or who have recently disengaged from education.
Youth Support Coordinators work closely with young people on a voluntary basis and in conjunction with a range of Community agencies, and can make referrals to access the most appropriate support services. They can provide information, support, advocacy and referrals to young people who may be experiencing a range of issues that are impacting their engagement.
The Youth Support Coordinator can help students in several different areas:
- School attendance
- Financial barriers or difficulties
- Accommodation or housing difficulties
- Relationship issues
- Family conflict or changes
- School related issues
Youth Support Coordinators aim to support young people to remain engaged in education, or transition into other training or employment.
Youth Support Coordinators also facilitate group work, do school events, do school programs and community programs in partnership with the school and other community support agencies to ensure that the emotional and social support needs of young people and their families are addressed.
Provisional Psychologist
Huda Shaikh
Available: Monday – FridayThe School Psychologist provides evidence-based psychological intervention to promote students' academic success, psychological health, and their social and emotional wellbeing using a collaborative approach to provide best possible support for students' whilst creating a safe space, so they can feel comfortable, supported and understood throughout their therapeutic journey.
This service is provided to all students and their parents/carers via a referral process.
'I love working with adolescents and young adults. Best thing about my role is that I get to learn about my clients' experiences and walk alongside them whilst providing support, so they can attain appropriate skills to navigate through the challenges in their life' – Huda
Art Therapist
Conny Rodgers
Available – Tuesday
Art Therapy (also known as Art Psychotherapy) is run by QPASST who provides targeted intervention to our refugee students. Art Therapy is the focused use of visual arts and play activities within the therapeutic relationship to meet developmental, emotional and psychological needs, and is based on the understanding that the creative process is healing and life enhancing. It uses psychotherapeutic methods combined with art therapy practice.
The Art Therapist helps students to:
- Address social, behavioural and emotional issues via Art Therapy and Music Therapy.
- Improve their ability to learn at school by helping allay the symptoms of trauma
- Improve confidence and self-esteem.
- Learn resiliency skills through therapy and programs such as BRITA (Building Resiliency in Transcultural Australians)
- Process their refugee journey through therapy and programs such as Tree of Life (a strengthening narrative approach).
Begin to envisage their place in their new country, with a good understanding of acceptable behaviours and their rights.
Indigenous Community Education Counsellor (CEC)
Kristy Broadwater
The Indigenous CEC helps to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander provides educational counselling and support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to equip them for the development of learning and participation at school. This involves connecting with students, school staff, community and family of students with a range of opportunities including access to university days. They coordinate external agencies and promotes Indigenous culture at Yeronga State High School.
The Indigenous CEC will also run the yarning circle with the Indigenous Coordinator.
School Based Police Officer
 Senior Constable Jarrett Usher Available – Tuesday The School Based Policing Program is a joint initiative between the Queensland Police Service and Department of Education, which aims to establish a positive relationship between Police and the secondary school community to contribute to a safe and supportive learning environment.
School-Based Police Officers support students at risk of offending while encouraging school communities to adopt approaches that aid in crime prevention and proactive policing. This helps high schools and the community by: - addressing identified needs within the school community
- helping teachers develop and present curriculum material to meet Police and school community needs undertaking initial response and investigation of offences within the perimeters of the school
Community Liaison Officer
Gabriel Ukuno Available – Monday – Friday The Community Liaison Officer provides cultural and social support to African Students through African student's meetings and forums. Gabriel also provides assistance to students and their families/care givers in their transition from school to further education and/or employment. He supports refugee students in settling in to the school environment in Australia, and identifies and provides appropriate assistance to students experiencing any issues at school or at home which may put them at risk.
Gabriel also helps with:
- Home visits with students and their families to provide strategies for a more positive educational experience
- Case management, offering culturally competent advice, and
- Contributing to a positive, caring and supportive school image in the community.
Community Liaison Officer
Elena Brayne Available – Monday – Tuesday and Thursday - Friday The Community Liaison Officer provides cultural and social support for students and their families through student's meetings and forums. She also provides assistance to students and their families/care givers in their transition from school to further education and/or employment. Elena supports refugee students in settling in to the school environment in Australia, and identifies and provides appropriate assistance to students experiencing any issues at school or at home which may put them at risk. Elena also helps with:
- Home visits with students and their families to provide strategies for a more positive educational experience
- Case management, offering culturally competent advice, and
- Contributing to a positive, caring and supportive school image in the community.
Community Liaison Officer
 Samiro Hussein Available – Monday and Tuesday The Community Liaison Officer provides cultural and social support to African Students through African student's meetings and forums. Samira also provides assistance to students and their families/care givers in their transition from school to further education and/or employment. She supports refugee students in settling in to the school environment in Australia, and identifies and provides appropriate assistance to students experiencing any issues at school or at home which may put them at risk. Samira also helps with:
- Home visits with students and their families to provide strategies for a more positive educational experience
- Case management, offering culturally competent advice, and
- Contributing to a positive, caring and supportive school image in the community.
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INCLUSION HUB
Head of Inclusion
Tanya McSwaine
Yeronga State High School prides itself in providing an inclusive education, reflecting the values and culture committed to enhancing equitable educational opportunities and improved outcomes for all students. They feel valued and welcome through the celebration and recognition of their diversity as a strength and context for their learning.
At Yeronga State High School, classroom teachers in their day-to-day teaching place a high priority on identifying and addressing the learning needs of individual students. Teachers monitor the progress of individuals, identify learning difficulties and tailor classroom activities and assessment task to appropriate levels. All staff have high expectations for the learning opportunities of all students.
Catering for a diverse range of students requires teaching strategies that offer multiple means of representation, engagement and expression. Student Services at Yeronga State High School aims to enable each student to reach their potential through the provision of educational support models such as; program management, adjusted curriculum, classroom teaching and assistance from support staff.
Yeronga State High School is a place where students:
Yeronga State High School classrooms are where the teacher:
- Takes responsibility for the curriculum needs of all students
- Responds to the diverse learning needs of all students
- Provides opportunities for all students to participate in social and academic opportunities alongside their peers
- Fosters a safe and supportive learning environment where diverse needs are valued and respected
Homework Club
Homework Club provides all students with the opportunity to seek assistance from a dedicated number of staff, volunteers and specialist tutors. The club not only provides support for our struggling students, but also to our high achievers who want to produce their best work. The Homework Club runs every Wednesday and Thursday, from 2:45pm – 4:15pm at the Resource Centre/Library. Afternoon tea is provided. See you there, ready to hone your study skills!
Our Teacher Aides
At Yeronga we have a diverse range of teacher aides who support many students over a range of classes. Having teacher aides at the school that speak multiple languages help support parents and the community to connect with our school. We have approximately 25 different staff members that can speak languages other than English. Teacher aide responsibilities include providing support to classroom teachers by working with diverse students in a range of classrooms. Our TA's also participate in our multicultural festivities and school activities.
Yeronga State High School exists for learning and learners.
Our school is committed to providing support services which contribute to the total development of each student.
These include:
In learning/teaching
- Quality teaching
- Broad curriculum
- Inclusive and differentiated curriculum
- Appropriate physical and human resources
- Special Needs programs
- Human Relationships Education
- Recognition of student achievement
- Educational/Vocational Counselling
In social development
- Extensive extra-curricular activities
- Cultural and social activities
- Roll Group and Year Level structure
- Committee structures – Student Council, Interact
- Behaviour Management Plan
- Leadership Development – Senior Secondary and Junior Secondary School leaders
In welfare provision
- Guidance counselling
- Communities Liaison Officer
- Chaplaincy services
- Anti-harassment Strategies
- Health Care through support from the School-based Youth Health Nurse
- Youth Support Worker
- Canteen – Healthy Choices
- Uniform Shop
- Referral process to community support groups
- Support for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students