When Catholic Regional College Sydenham first connected with Living Ripples through Brimbank City Council, the school had already been using the Resilient Youth Survey. What Living Ripples offered was something different: not just data, but a clear and supported process to turn that data into action.
Shane Hart, Assistant Principal, describes the process as practical and easy to follow. “Previously, we would look at the results and identify a few small actionable items,” he explains. “Living Ripples helped us go deeper. It supported us to interpret the data properly and develop a structured plan, particularly within our pastoral care program.”
The Year 11 and 12 cohort became an early focus. With senior students already having established friendship groups, building new connections can be challenging. Survey data highlighted a lack of engagement, particularly among male students, and a decline in extracurricular participation.
Rather than responding with broad wellbeing initiatives, the school used the data to guide targeted changes. Pastoral care was restructured, and additional extracurricular sessions were introduced into the fortnightly program. This year, the college will implement three dedicated extracurricular sessions annually based purely on student feedback through the survey.
Staff now run activities of their choice under the theme of “Marra” – an indigenous term connected to belonging. These sessions are intentionally curriculum-free and designed to foster connection. Activities range from sport and art to board games and creative workshops, bringing together students with shared interests.
Importantly, the approach has also energised staff. “It’s been an opportunity for teachers to share hidden talents and bring a bit of fun into the program,” Shane says. “There’s always interest when we share the survey data. Staff appreciate seeing the bigger picture, but also having access to clear snapshots.”
A key strength of Living Ripples, according to Shane, is the ongoing support. “Having someone trained and knowledgeable to help interpret the dataset makes a huge difference. Instead of general observations, we can focus on specific points that matter.”
Analysing survey data can be time-consuming. Having guided support to review trends, particularly longitudinally, has allowed the college to track changes over time and respond with confidence.
Before Living Ripples, the college did not have a structured wellbeing initiative beyond participating in the Resilient Youth Survey. The survey results and subsequent action plan became the driver for change.
Alongside pastoral care restructuring, the school has introduced additional clubs and is launching new break-time initiatives this year. The school is planning to purchase Nintendo Switch consoles to support disengaged students, offering informal spaces for connection and interaction.
The broader goal is simple: create more opportunities for senior students to build relationships beyond established friendship circles, especially at a stage where academic focus often dominates and extracurricular involvement declines.
Parent engagement remains a challenge, particularly with older students where academic priorities tend to take precedence over extracurricular activities. However, the school continues to communicate updates through newsletters, email, and school highlights to keep the community informed.
For Catholic Regional College Sydenham, Living Ripples has become more than a survey process. It has provided clarity, structure, and confidence in shaping a wellbeing approach that is informed, intentional, and responsive to students’ needs.
