Mental Health and Wellbeing – Employees

Resources

Employee Wellbeing Support Services resources

The Employee Wellbeing Support Services provide free and confidential advice to proactively support the wellbeing of eligible department staff. Converge International is the department’s external provider of the Employee Wellbeing Support Services.

Staff can make appointments to receive tailored support across 8 different service streams and 6 specialist helplines. Immediate family members aged 18 years and over can access the Family Assist stream.

To access the services and make an appointment, call 1300 291 071 or book online via the Converge International portal or mobile phone app (PDF), entering the organisational code mywellbeing.

For further information, refer to the Employee Wellbeing Support Services guidance chapter in the department’s Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management in Schools policy. Principal health and wellbeing strategy services are available to support principal-class employees in schools. This includes services such as Proactive Wellbeing Support (staff login required) which has been extended to include assistant principals, the principal mentor program and more.

Manager Assist is a dedicated coaching support to people managers on staff wellbeing matters, having difficult conversations, developing leadership competencies, leading through change and any other people management matters. Call 1300 291 071 to book.

DE resources and services

• The department offers free health and wellbeing webinars (staff login required) designed to support the health, safety and wellbeing of our school staff and leaders. Current webinars, tip sheets and video recordings of previous webinars are available to all staff. Topics for staff include, Resilience in times of uncertainty, Safeguarding against burnout and Switching on your growth mindset. Topics for leaders include, Supporting your team’s mental health and wellbeing through times of uncertainty and Supporting injured or vulnerable staff in times of crisis.
• RU OK wellbeing activities toolkit (staff login required), which includes team activities and supportive conversation starter cards for principals and school leaders (staff login required) and school staff with their colleagues (staff login required).
• There are a range of diversity and inclusion resources available to build your knowledge and awareness of difference and how to be inclusive:
  • the Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Collaboration page (staff login required), including suggestions of online learning via the department's LearnED system and its membership with LinkedIn Learning
  • the Inclusive Workplaces Guide on HRWeb
  • inclusive online meeting tips (staff login required).
• The DE Enablers Network represents the needs, interests and concerns of department employees with lived experience of disability or long-term health conditions. Peer support is available through this network. For more information contact det.enablers@education.vic.gov.au
• For more information or resources around diversity and inclusion, please contact the Workforce Diversity and Inclusion team at diversity@education.vic.gov.au

External wellbeing support services

1800 RESPECT phone: 1800 737 732
24-hour sexual assault and domestic violence support

13 YARN phone: 13 92 76
24-hour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support

Beyond Blue phone: 1300 22 4636
24-hour mental health support

Lifeline phone: 13 11 14
24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention

Qlife phone: 1800 184 527
For LGBTIQA+ peer support

Supporting student mental health

Schools’ mental health fund and menu

The Victorian Government has invested $217.8 million over 4 years to support student mental health and wellbeing, including $200 million over 4 years and $86.9 million ongoing to create a Schools Mental Health Fund (the Fund). Underpinning the Fund is the evidence-based Menu (the Menu).

Further information about the Fund and Menu is available at Mental Health Fund and Menu.

A Quick guide to student mental health and wellbeing resources (PDF) is available for schools, students, parents and carers looking to access expert guidance and resources to support wellbeing. The guide includes resources for schools to promote student mental health and wellbeing, provide early support and refer students to the right services, a range of resources. The guide also provides supports for students to help them look after their own health and wellbeing and supports for parents and carers to help them support and build their child’s physical and mental health wellbeing.

Staff who would like information and resources on how to support student mental health can visit the department’s Mental Health Toolkit.

Also refer to the Mental Health in Schools page on PAL for more information on the role of schools in promoting the mental health and wellbeing of students.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Guide

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Guide (DOCX) provides further guidance that outlines the occupational health and safety requirements for the management of mental health and wellbeing risks and supports the mental health procedure.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter resources

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter demonstrates the Victorian Government’s commitment to having an engaged public sector workforce that is physically and mentally safe and healthy.

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter Poster
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter Background and Statistics
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter Coaching Kit for Managers
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter Factsheet
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter and Toolkit

Other health, safety and wellbeing resources relevant to this policy and procedure

The Occupational Health and Safety Risk Register and Risk Assessment Template are also available to help you to identify, control and record occupational health and safety risks within your workplace. For support in conducting a risk assessment, contact the OHS Advisory Service on 1300 074 715 or email safety@education.vic.gov.au