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Shandy's Story

Synopsis

Shandy is a Year 9 student who has experienced mental health problems in the past. Her school has supported her in 'coming out' and facilitated contact with support agencies. Her school has also supported her in dealing with bullying and harassment issues.

When considering this section, teachers and schools should be mindful that the content may raise sensitive issues for teachers and young people (and their families) of certain cultural and religious backgrounds.

Themes in this story

Help seeking
Trust and safety
Diversity - same sex attraction

Identity

The questions 'Who am I?' and 'How do I belong?' go to the very heart of human existence. Most students are acutely aware of issues around who they are (and who they are not), where they fit in, whether they are valued or liked by teachers and peers, and whether they are different from others. The ways in which they come to terms with these identity issues will be closely tied to their feelings of connectedness and resilience. In this way, identity has a direct bearing on their mental health status. CommunityMatters, page 16.

Background to the school

Sunshine College is a large multi-campus high school in the inner western suburbs of Melbourne. Its 1,200 students are spread over four campuses.

Sunshine College hosts a specialist school for the deaf, a program for students with learning needs, a languages school and a teaching unit.