Thrive Wellbeing Update: Creating the Conditions for a Thriving Life at Bethany

At Bethany, wellbeing is not a separate program or something we only focus on when there is a problem. It is an essential foundation for learning, relationships, and faith, and it is something we intentionally build every day.

This year, we have strengthened our Thrive Wellbeing Program by clearly aligning it with research from the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY). ARACY’s research identifies the Six Ingredients for a Thriving Life — the conditions children, families, and communities need in order to flourish, not just cope.

The six ingredients are:

• Being loved and safe
• Having material basics
• Being healthy
• Learning
• Participating
• Having a positive sense of identity and culture, including faith

ARACY’s research shows that wellbeing works best when all six ingredients are present together. Focusing on only one or two areas is not enough. For example, a child may be physically healthy, but if they don’t feel safe or connected, learning becomes harder. Likewise, strong academic outcomes are more likely when children feel emotionally supported, confident in who they are, and actively involved in school life.

You will see this research brought to life at Bethany in practical ways. For students, this includes our Self Sense wellbeing program, Circle Time, safe and inclusive learning environments, and opportunities to build emotional literacy, resilience, and self-regulation. Two new staff members, our Psychologist and our Inclusion Teacher join our Thrive Hive to support our students in a myriad of ways. For families, it includes clear communication, opportunities to engage with learning and wellbeing, and support structures that recognise families as partners. For staff, it means creating psychologically safe workplaces, sustainable systems, and opportunities for growth and shared leadership.

The purpose behind Thrive is to ensure that every aspect of wellbeing is intentionally supported — not just for individual students, but for staff, families, and our wider community. By addressing all six ingredients, we are creating the conditions where children can grow academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually, and where families feel connected, supported, and confident in their child’s school experience.

Research tells us that when schools take this whole-community approach to wellbeing, students are more engaged in learning, relationships are stronger, and communities are more resilient. Thrive helps us live this out in a thoughtful, evidence-based way.