The Hutchins School’s Wellbeing Committee is a student-led initiative which strives to build a strong culture of support for wellbeing at school, de-stigmatising and raising awareness surrounding mental ill-health amongst young people, and providing students with opportunities to better their health. The committee is made up of leadership from the prefect body, and volunteers from Years 9–12 to make decisions on priority areas within the school.

The Committee has supported and maintains a close relationship with the not-for-profit organisation Speak Up! Stay ChatTY, and regularly organises events within the school such as R U OK?Day, which brings the topic of mental health & student wellbeing into the spotlight, opposed to an education system that often focuses more strongly on grades and deadlines than people falling behind, struggling with a work/life balance.   

 "The ability to actively help the wellbeing of young people within our school community is something that I highly value. It is exceptionally reassuring that there are likeminded individuals, and a framework that they can work in, to support youth wellbeing in our community." - Henry Burnett, Wellbeing Committee Member 

One of the Committee’s primary projects is the regular offering of the Youth Mental Health First Aid Course to secondary and senior secondary students each year. Students that become accredited have the opportunity to take on the role of Mental Health Contact Officers. These Contact Officers serve as a support network among the student body, encouraging the seeking of outside assistance to students who need it, and being approachable person that anyone can talk to. 

"It's been amazing to see the awareness of mental health and its importance increase exponentially among our students. This year, our first offering of the YMHFA course was booked out within a day, showing just how much people are interested in educating themselves and supporting others." - Max Baldock, Wellbeing Committee Co-Chair

Another project undertaken by the Wellbeing Committee is the gratitude sessions run by members of the Committee. The Committee identified gratitude as a vital value concerning wellbeing, and has introduced it to leaders in the school, who guide sessions in pastoral time. In these sessions, students contribute things that have occurred that they are grateful for, with benefits personally, and as a way to foster connection between students and introduce a healthier, more optimistic mindset within the School.

"Seeing the members of the committee grow into leaders, and lead gratitude sessions is inspiring to myself and the committee as a whole" - Andrew Gregg, Wellbeing Committee Co-Chair