Thanks to the generous support of the Give Where You Live Foundation Community Choice Voucher Program, we can provide vouchers to individuals and families. From July 2025 – June 2026, these vouchers have helped over 100 community members access essentials like food and prescription medication, offering much-needed relief during challenging times.

As a community organisation that is a proud partner in this program, we’ve seen firsthand the impact this program has on people’s lives. The Community Choice Voucher Program not only provides immediate support but offers choice and dignity as well as supports a fairer community.

Mental Health Month and World Mental Health Day

Mental Health Month is held in October each year, with World Mental Health Day taking place on 10 October. This is an important moment to raise awareness of mental health, reduce stigma and encourage people to seek support when they need it. It’s also an opportunity to pause, check in with ourselves and those around us, and reflect on how we can look after our own mental health and wellbeing.

The 2026 theme for Mental Health Month and World Mental Health Day is “Together We Thrive”. It recognises that while life can often feel overwhelming, connection remains one of the most powerful ways to support our mental health and wellbeing. When we come together– through small, everyday moments of care, kindness, conversation and connection – we can help each other to truly thrive. Whether at home, at work, at school, in the community or online, this Mental Health Month we're encouraging everyone to start conversations, share their stories and strengthen the connections that help us thrive.

Mental Health Awareness at School

We will be raising mental health awareness throughout October through our Connect Classes. We use The Resilience Project and The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships programs to guide our mental health curriculum at school.

The topics we cover include:

• GEM – Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness
• Emotional Literacy
• Personal and Cultural Strengths
• Positive Coping
• Problem Solving
• Stress Management
• Help Seeking

Celebrating Mental Health Month

On Wednesday 28 October, our school celebrated Mental Health Month with a range of fun and engaging lunchtime activities promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.  Students had the opportunity to get creative by designing tote bags, colouring mindful bookmarks and making bracelets, all featuring positive affirmations to encourage kindness, positivity and self-care.

The excitement continued with our mental health spinning wheel! Students tested their knowledge by answering questions about mental health and wellbeing, with prizes awarded for correct answers.

It was wonderful to see students getting involved, expressing their creativity and learning more about the importance of looking after their mental health. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the day a positive and enjoyable celebration!

Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month. It focuses on four key themes, each week highlighting a step you can take to keep yourself safe online.

Week 1 emphasises the need for strong passwords to secure your accounts. Use long, unique and unpredictable passwords for each account. Try making ‘passphrases’ – passwords made up of 4 or more random words – as they’re easier to remember.

Week 2 highlights why you should turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts. MFA requires a second step to prove it’s you logging in – protecting your account even if your password is leaked or stolen.

Week 3 emphasises the importance of turning on automatic software updates on your devices and apps to protect against software weaknesses and keep your data safe.

Week 4 focuses on protecting yourself against phishing, a common scam tactic used by cybercriminals. Look out for red flags – such as urgent language. Be cautious with unsolicited links or messages.

By following these steps, you can greatly reduce your risk of falling victim to cyber threats.

National Nutrition Week 2026

National Nutrition Week is an annual opportunity to celebrate food and start positive conversations about the role it plays in our lives in Australia. National Nutrition Week 2026 runs from 12–18 October 2026. Throughout the week, people, workplaces, schools, early childhood services and community organisations across Australia are invited to celebrate food and join the conversation.

Love What You Eat

The National Nutrition Foundation’s theme for National Nutrition Week 2026 is:

• Love what you eat.
• Food is more than fuel.

Food connects us. Food brings us together. Food helps us thrive. This National Nutrition Week, we’re celebrating what we love about food – from the people we share it with, to the cultures and traditions behind it, the places our food comes from and the ways food can support our wellbeing. This year, we’re celebrating the many ways food matters in our lives, including its connections to culture, community, place, wellbeing and equity. Food can tell stories, preserve traditions, bring people together and connect us to the places we live.

World Food Day

World Food Day is Friday 16 October 2026, which falls within National Nutrition Week this year. World Food Day is led globally by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and provides another opportunity during the week to celebrate food and consider how we can build more inclusive and sustainable food systems.

Celebrating Food and Connection

National Nutrition Week is a great opportunity to start conversations about food, connection and the experiences that make food meaningful. We encourage our school community to take some time during the week to think about the role food plays in our lives – the people we share it with, the traditions and cultures it represents, the places it connects us to and the ways food can support our wellbeing.

This National Nutrition Week, let’s celebrate food and love what we eat. For more information National Nutrition Week 2026 | 12–18 October | NNF

National Carers Week

National Carers Week is held from 11 to 17 October 2026. National Carers Week is a time to recognise, celebrate and raise awareness of the more than 3 million Australians who provide unpaid care to a family member or friend. Carers are people who provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental health condition, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged.

Anyone can become a carer, at any time. National Carers Week is an opportunity to raise community awareness among all Australians about the diversity of carers and their caring roles.

Recognising Carers in Our School Community

We acknowledge all carers within our school community, including young carers who may be students. Young carers may provide care and support to a family member or friend while also managing the responsibilities of school, friendships and everyday life. If you know a young carer attending our school, please reach out to the Wellbeing Team. We are here to support students and families within our school community.

Can Carers Get Support?

• Homepage | Carer Gateway
• Carers Victoria | Support, Advice & Advocacy for Carers

During National Carers Week, we encourage everyone in our school community to take a moment to recognise, celebrate and acknowledge the important role that carers play in supporting their families, friends and communities. We thank and acknowledge all the carers within our school community.

Thunderstorm asthma – be prepared this pollen season

Grass pollen season in Victoria usually runs from October to December. During this time, asthma and hay fever symptoms can get worse. There is also an increased risk of thunderstorm asthma.

Ten years ago, Melbourne experienced the largest thunderstorm asthma event in the world. Thunderstorm asthma can be sudden and serious. It can be life-threatening, especially if a person’s asthma or hay fever is not well controlled.

North Geelong Secondary College will have measures to keep our school community safe. Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid. We will monitor Vic Emergency for thunderstorm asthma warnings. When needed, we will keep students indoors if the weather forecast shows a higher risk.

Managing asthma and allergies matters. During this pollen season, there are some things you can do to protect yourself and your family:

• If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about your Asthma Action Plan and to make sure symptoms are well controlled.
• If your child has hay fever, talk to your pharmacist or doctor about a hay fever plan and check if you need an asthma reliever puffer.
• If your child has cough or wheeze with hay fever, talk to your doctor to make sure they don’t also have asthma.
• Take asthma medication as directed by your doctor, as good control of symptoms can prevent thunderstorm asthma.
• Follow the Vic Emergency website or app. Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms – especially during the winds that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.
• Know asthma first aid. If you are not sure if someone is having an asthma attack, you can still use a blue asthma reliever puffer.
• Find out more: For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also: speak with an asthma educator on 1800 ASTHMA (1800 278 462). This is a free service from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday
• Refer to Better Health Channel. This includes information in different languages. Community Programs and Resources
• Young people | City of Greater Geelong
• Connect Club to combat youth loneliness | News, City of Greater Geelong
• Seen & Supported: Youth Zine Workshop
• Free pads and tampons. Period. | Better Health Channel