Be Exceptional

Improving the learning experiences of students in some of NSW’s most disadvantaged high schools and building their aspirations for future study has been the goal of UNE’s Social Workers in Schools (SwiS) program since 2014.

The program is now serving as an exemplar throughout schools in NSW, with the Department of Education announcing in 2020 the appointment of a full-time support officer for every state high school.

UNE social work students undertaking SWiS placements have played a particularly critical role during recent COVID-19 school closures, providing practical and social support to students and their parents. Catering to the specific needs of student populations, they have hand-delivered learning materials and wellbeing packs, maintained one-on-one online sessions and social chat sites, and introduced mindfulness practices to address student anxiety.

Half of all mental health disorders emerge before the age of 14, and, according to the Education Department, one in seven children and young people experience a mental health issue each year. The department consulted SWiS founder Professor Myfanwy Maple during planning for the state wide roll-out.

Professor Maple said she hopes it will eventually become a national initiative. "Not only does it represent an important investment in the mental health and wellbeing of NSW students; it also provides an important career pathway for qualified social worker graduates," she said.

"Our UNE students have been actively supporting high schools in rural and regional NSW since 2014, helping to ensure that those high school students from low socio-economic backgrounds experiencing distress or poor wellbeing can realise their aspirations. Evidence suggests the SWiS program has helped them to deal with their emotions and to participate more effectively in learning, which enables them to follow tertiary pathways. This has positive benefits for them, their families and communities.”

The SWiS program is funded by the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP), which aims to ensure that Australians from low socio-economic backgrounds with the ability to study at university have the opportunity to do so.