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The focus of our work is Wellbeing. Wellbeing is a positive and sustainable condition that enables individuals, groups, communities and organisations to cope, thrive and succeed. We are both senior University lecturers and psychologists who work in a range of contexts such as counselling, education and business. Our work also provides an interface between the two disciplines of education and psychology.

Using our Positive Practices Framework, we provide support to individuals and develop resources and support strategies that enable adults, children, families and schools to develop a stronger sense of wellbeing and to be more resilient, confident and successful.

We use wellbeing as a unifying concept for assisting schools to organise and coordinate schoolwide and class practices that:

• Maximise student engagement in learning and their connectedness to school
• Contribute to a positive pro-social school culture in which all students feel safe
• Promote positive relationships and develop the social skills that contribute to them
• Develop resilience skills that contribute to coping in the face of adversity
• Develop pro-social values such as respect, compassion, acceptance of differences and friendliness.
• Identify student and staff strengths as a starting point for educational and future success
• Help both students and teachers to develop a sense of meaning and purpose

The key assumptions that underpin our work with schools are:

• A focus on wellbeing is fundamental to student success in school and in life and is consistent with directions in school effectiveness and improvement
• A focus on wellbeing is congruent with National policies such as:
  • The National Safe Schools Framework
  • The National Framework in Values Education
  • The National Health Promoting Schools Framework
• Practices designed to promote wellbeing must be based on sound research

Toni Noble and Helen McGrath