When Cade joined West Greenwood Primary School in 2024, he stepped into a role that would support meaningful change- not only for his own school community, but across multiple schools in the northern suburbs of Perth.
Invited by Jemma Flockhart, Deputy Principal at Creaney Primary School and coordinator of the Kingswood Network, Cade was encouraged to apply and successfully became the Health and Wellbeing Coordinator within the network.
The Kingswood Network is an example of how, with the support of both Jemma and Cade, it has become instrumental in promoting and embedding wellbeing practices across a group of schools in the region.
Since joining the Network, Cade’s objective has been clear: to support and inspire school communities within the region in prioritising the wellbeing of students and staff.
“I truly believe that prioritising wellbeing can transform school communities.”
In response to an increased demand for wellbeing support across the region, the Kingswood Network brings together school leaders, and Cade’s role in health and wellbeing has proven essential.
The impact of this group has grown, as it has fostered a stronger professional peer network and increased openness and a commitment to building the mental health literacy of participating schools. It has become a forum for identifying wellbeing priorities, talking about barriers and developing strategies to overcome these barriers.
Why is it so important to address barriers?
By identifying barriers, you can develop strategies to enable change. Cade has faced barriers along the way, particularly when it comes to resources and funding.
- in building the Network, Cade encountered barriers including meetings held outside of school hours
- juggling existing workloads
- recognising the connection between educator wellbeing and learning outcomes for children and young people
- establishing support from school leaders and identifying teams to support change.
To overcome these barriers, the first meeting set the tone by introducing a new more inclusive approach in talking about barriers and engaged the group in a brainstorming session to identify priority areas to focus on. It was from this discussion that Cade began developing an implementation plan across the network.
Recognising the power of collaboration, Cade reached out to Be You Consultant, Marie-Louise Patchitt, for guidance in how best start supporting the Network’s mental health and wellbeing priorities. Together, they explored ways to implement meaningful mental health and wellbeing initiatives across the network.
“Our Be You Consultant has been instrumental in helping me implement a stronger focus on wellbeing within our network of local schools and Be You has provided invaluable support through advice and PD resources for staff.”
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see that the professional development (PD) sessions I’m offering to the network are having an impact”
With dedication and a forward-thinking approach to mental health and wellbeing, Cade Donegan has made an impact across the Kingswood Network’s nine learning communities.
Cade’s tips to building a learning network and leading change:
Build strong relationships: Invest in relationships with staff members at other schools and ensure you are taking the time to listen, hear their perspectives and unique experiences. This can help to create a network where everyone feels heard, supported and understood.
Identify key support personnel: It’s essential to identify individuals who can serve as key points of contact for wellbeing initiatives. These are the people who will champion mental health and wellbeing within their schools and help to drive change.
Ongoing professional learning: Ensure that staff have regular support, training, tools and resources that enable them to understand and support mental health and wellbeing in their learning community is key to sustaining the Network. This is where collaboration with Be You can provide valuable support, guidance and resources.
Reflective questions
Does your school or learning community have a support learning network?
What are the barriers to collaborating with schools within your region?
What is the change you would like to see?
What support do you or your learning community need to enable actions?
Have you contacted your Be You Consultant for support or advice?
Next steps
Connect with a Be You Consultant
Explore Be You Professional Learning modules
Getting Started with Be you - How to get started - Be You
Professional Learning - Be You
https://beyou.edu.au/contact-us