(English) May 15th, 2023 marked the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, a global initiative to raise awareness regarding the importance of mental health. With the ongoing challenges faced by students today, the need for promoting wellbeing and providing social-emotional support has become increasingly significant. Footprints International School is proud to announce that we are taking the next step in ensuring the success of our students by creating the Center for Wellbeing and Career Excellence, which will be overseen by our recently appointed Head of the Center for Wellbeing and Career, Dr. Rudi Labuschagne.

The Center’s vision is to provide person-centred support to all students, faculty, and staff so that they can experience a state of wellbeing. The support is designed with their input to develop their social-emotional and mental health and promote their overall career success. Our goal is to create a mentally healthy community where individuals feel supported, heard, accepted, valued, and empowered.

The Footprints International School Center for Wellbeing and Career Excellence will offer a range of benefits for our students and staff, including access to professional counsellors, mentors, and career advisors. We will also provide a range of services designed to support students’ social-emotional wellbeing, including workshops, group counselling, and peer support programmes.

Our whole school approach ensures that parents and carers are actively involved in their children’s learning and activities at school, both academically and in their general wellbeing. We believe that by providing comprehensive support for all members of our community, we can create a safe and nurturing environment that enables our students to thrive.

We are excited about the possibilities that the Center for Wellbeing and Career Excellence will bring to our school community, and we look forward to sharing more information about our progress as we move forward. We hope that this initiative will become a model for other schools to follow and make a positive difference in the lives of our students and staff.