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Young voices to parliament
Chloe Mathias, Social Justice Prefect and Year 12 student from our Glen Waverley campus, is a member of the Mount Waverley Youth Advisory Committee. This committee comprises a dynamic group of fifteen students from local area schools who meet monthly with Matt Fregon, Member of Parliament for the Mount Waverley District.
‘Our collective aim is to represent Mount Waverley youth and to be their voice in our State Parliament,’ says Chloe. ‘Each group decides on a focus topic, ours being the very relevant and critical issue of early intervention for mental health.
‘We are currently developing a set of policies that we will present to the Victorian Minister for Mental Health later in the year. As a starting point, we met with Associate Professor Jo Robinson, Head of Suicide Prevention Research at youth mental health organisation, Orygen.
‘Knowing that most mental disorders peak during the transition from childhood to young adulthood and that 50% of mental health conditions show symptoms before the age of 14 has further inspired me to become involved with the group’s advocacy for youth mental health support. Our policy aims to create a more proactive approach to creating positive mental health and wellbeing, rather than a reactive approach to mental health problems.’
Chloe’s interest in good leadership was nurtured at Wesley through her introduction to the IB Learner Profile in Year 5, with its holistic approach to developing the whole person as they learn.
‘I have developed a real sense of empathy, compassion and respect, formed a strong sense of fairness and justice for all and have been motivated to act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world in general,’ she says.
‘The Learner Profile attributes have shaped me and made me a better person, and I have genuinely benefited from them when engaging in activities outside of Wesley, like this committee.’