Episode 16: Wellbeing and Engagement - Student-Centred Approaches

Evelyn Carter

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Leading for Impact in Anangu Lands Schools. I'm Evelyn Carter—joined, as always, by Dan Harrison and Liam Warragul. Today, we're exploring student-centred approaches to wellbeing and engagement, especially relevant for remote schools in the Anangu Lands. Now, if you listened to our last episode about embedding student voice, this very much builds on that. We're looking at what happens when student voice is not just heard, but at the heart of wellbeing strategies.

Liam Warragul

Thanks, Evelyn. Good to be back—I'm excited for this one. Wellbeing out here is so much more than a program you run on a Thursday afternoon, right? We've seen that if you're not considering kids' social, emotional, cultural, and physical needs as a whole, something always gets left out. And that can, you know, really undermine everything else you're trying to achieve, be it attendance or learning outcomes or just a sense of belonging.

Dan Harrison

Yeah, totally. I reckon, for me, when I first came out to the Lands, I had this idea that if you just ran a few wellbeing activities or a resilience lesson every now and then, you'd tick that box. But pretty quickly, you see it's got to be woven right into daily practice—like, every interaction, every routine. And kids notice when it's actually about them, about their strengths and interests, not just what an adult thinks is good for 'em.

Evelyn Carter

That's such an important point, Dan. And Liam, you mentioned belonging—let's dig into that. The sense of belonging and feeling culturally safe is just vital. So much research and feedback from our Anangu colleagues and students say, if the environment feels “off”—if it doesn't reflect Anangu culture or values—kids switch off, or worse, stop feeling safe enough to take risks with their learning or even just turn up. And building that kind of trust, well, it doesn't happen overnight, does it, Liam?

Liam Warragul

Nah, definitely not. And something I keep coming back to is that wellbeing isn't just the responsibility of the classroom teacher, it's the whole school—and really, the whole community. When we're working in genuine partnership with families, community leaders, even bringing in external supports if needed, that consistency is what kids pick up on. It's like, everyone's got their back, it's not just the “school” trying to do it all alone.

Dan Harrison

And I think families notice it too. When we work with community members, especially Anangu staff, and even involve elders in co-designing stuff—like wellbeing activities, or yarning circles about what's happening at school—suddenly, wellbeing isn't an extra. It's embedded. It's part of everyday life and learning and, honestly, it's way more effective. Sometimes I reckon we try to reinvent the wheel, but so many powerful approaches are already in the community. We just need to listen and genuinely include people as partners.

Evelyn Carter

Yes, and I want to highlight the value of co-design, especially with students. There’s something simple but powerful about saying, “What helps you feel safe and happy at school? What do you want wellbeing to look like here?” And building from there, rather than assuming we know best. Lots of the best initiatives I've seen started with students leading or designing something themselves.

Liam Warragul

For sure. And look, you see kids' motivation and engagement rocket up when the activity or approach connects with their strengths, or it's something from their culture—like bush trips, art, or music that's meaningful to families. The other thing is, early intervention gets missed sometimes. If you use the data—attendance, engagement, wellbeing surveys—you can spot trends and, with the community, respond quickly before stuff escalates. Data's not just a department tool, it's got real practical value for targeting support.

Dan Harrison

Yeah, and that's honestly changed a lot in the last few years. I used to see “data” as just compliance or forms to fill out, but now it's a way to check if what we're doing around wellbeing is actually working. Like, is attendance getting better? Are kids staying engaged? And if not, who's missing out and why? It helps you move out of guesswork territory and have those targeted yarns with families or with the students themselves. Sometimes the data just backs up what you're already hearing in the playground—or sometimes it makes you see something you'd missed entirely.

Evelyn Carter

And recognising and celebrating achievements, both big and small, can't be underestimated either. Whether it's a mural students create, a new attendance record, or someone finally feeling confident enough to lead a group or share their ideas—you celebrate it. Not just in assembly, but with families, in community, so the wins are shared. It's this positive cycle that builds school culture. Actually, can we talk about how this connects to academic progress too? Because these aren't separate things—wellbeing and learning, it's all linked.

Dan Harrison

Yeah, I'll jump in—I've seen it lots where kids who feel like they're kicking goals with wellbeing stuff, or feel genuinely seen and celebrated, are the same kids suddenly more willing to have a go with reading, maths, you name it. And when you embed things like social and emotional learning into classroom practice—I'm talking simple routines, or collaborative projects that build resilience or teamwork—it carries over into academic outcomes as well. It's not extra work, it's the core business. Maybe not always easy, I admit—it takes time, relationship. But it works.

Liam Warragul

Right, and, you know, sometimes after-school stuff—like sports or out-of-school cultural sessions led by community members—can pull disengaged students back in. It's not about just doing what's always been done—it's experimenting, checking in, seeing what sticks. And if something fails, that's alright. As long as you reflect and tweak, that's progress too.

Evelyn Carter

I love that. And that ties in nicely with the guiding principles we often talk about—collective responsibility, a learning system, evaluating for impact, being tight with purpose but flexible in approach. As we've heard, there's no single blueprint, but when you anchor around student needs, co-design with both Anangu and Piranpa staff, and measure how it's going—you're moving in the right direction.

Dan Harrison

Actually, that's a good cue for teams listening out there. How do your strategies really reflect both student needs and community values? Are you building trust and belonging by the way you engage? Do you check if your wellbeing support is hitting the mark, or missing someone out? These are the kinds of questions we've found super helpful in practice. And just remember, celebration matters—just having that moment of pride goes a really long way.

Liam Warragul

Absolutely. And if you're looking for more, there are some great resources out there—like the Wellbeing and Engagement Collection, Culturally Responsive Framework, even practical things like breakfast programs. But honestly, sitting down with families, students, and staff around the same table nearly always gives you more value than any toolkit.

Evelyn Carter

Beautifully said, Liam. Well, we'll leave it there for today—lots to think about, and hopefully a few practical takeaways for you. Keep those stories and celebration moments coming, and we'll be back next episode with more on leading for impact in Anangu Lands Schools. Thanks so much for joining us—Dan, Liam, always a pleasure.

Dan Harrison

Thanks, Evelyn, thanks Liam—great chat as always. Catch you next time.

Liam Warragul

Yeah, thanks both of you, and thanks everyone for listening. Take care out there.