Ripley Valley State Secondary College eNewsletter

Defence News

And just like that 2023 is under way and it looks like it is shaping up to be another busy year.

I would like to extend a big welcome to all of our new ADF families.

Our Defence community continues to grow at Ripley Valley SSC, with 35 new ADF students and their families joining our College community. While most of our new students are from the local area, I would like to acknowledge those families who have just posted in from other states of Australia and overseas. This is an EXTREMELY busy time for you and your families. Settling into a new area, new schools and new routines can be a long and often frustrating process. That being said, the Defence School Mentor Program aims to help relieve some of the stresses that come with posting, at least where your children are concerned.

The Defence School Mentor Program

Defence recognises that the Defence lifestyle has a unique effect on the families (comprising parents, partners, children, etc) whose lives are impacted by their relationship to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) member, despite they themselves not being part of the ADF. Defence also acknowledges that the impact of the Defence lifestyle on children is a major challenge for Defence members and their families.

A ‘Defence family’ is defined as the immediate family of a serving Defence member, meaning their spouse or interdependent partner, and any children who normally live with the Defence member. Other dependents as nominated by a Defence member can also fall under their immediate family (for example, any children they are a guardian for).

Defence School Mentors are allocated to schools to help lessen the impact to education that the military lifestyle can have due to mobility, either of the families as they post from location to location or to the Defence member through deployments or other service related absences.

Defence Member and Family Support (DMFS)

Defence Member and Family Support is a sector of the Australian Defence Force that provides Defence families with numerous programs and activities with an aim to support them as they face the unique challenges of being a Defence family.

If you would like to know more about DMFS and its resources, head to:

https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families

The Defence Member and Family Helpline

1800 624 608

This is the first point of call for Defence families seeking support, information or connection with their community.

The Helpline can provide assessment, assistance, advice or referral depending on the family's needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information on the Defence School Mentor Program at RVSSC, please contact Tracey Cooper at tcoop203@eq.edu.au or call 3819 5333

DMFS SUPPORT

For more information on the Defence School Mentor Program you can head to:

https://defence.gov.au/members-families/Family/kids/education.asp

To contact the Defence School Mentor:

Monday and Wednesday 0800 - 1400hrs