From Programs to System: Building Whole-School Wellbeing That Works with Justin Robinson | Season 4: Episode 7
Most schools have wellbeing programs or initiatives. Very few have wellbeing embedded into the way they function and flourish. That is the difference between bolting something on and creating real, lasting change.
In this episode, I am joined by Justin Robinson, co-founder of the Wellbeing Distillery and formerly the founding director of the Institute of Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School. Justin has worked with hundreds of schools across Australia and internationally, and his approach is built on the idea that wellbeing has to be embedded across the whole school community, including leaders, staff, students and families – not delivered as a series of disconnected initiatives.
We unpack what it actually takes to move from add-on programs to embedded practice, and why so many schools get stuck in the cycle of doing more without seeing more results.
In this episode:
- Why a collection of programs is not the same as embedded wellbeing
- The four partners every school needs to engage: leaders, staff, students and families
- The most common mistake schools make when rolling wellbeing out across the whole community
- What schools are telling us right now: leaders want strategy support, teachers want professional learning, families want to understand the language their children are learning
- How adopting the mindset that “wellbeing is a shared responsibility” changes the way you design your whole approach
- Practical starting points for schools that want to shift from doing wellbeing to being a wellbeing-led school
About Justin Robinson
Justin Robinson is the co-founder of the Wellbeing Distillery, an organisation supporting hundreds of schools across Australia and internationally to embed evidence-informed wellbeing in ways that are practical, sustainable and genuinely transformational.
He was previously the founding director of the Institute of Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School, a role he held for eight years, during which the Institute became one of the world’s most recognised hubs for positive education practice and research. Justin is an honorary fellow at the University of Melbourne and co-author of My Manifesto, a resource that supports individuals and communities in thriving.
His current work spans the Wellbeing Compass, a suite of evidence-based surveys developed in partnership with Adelaide University and Resilient Youth Australia, and the Seven Habits of Well-Being Wise Families, a parent course designed to extend the school’s wellbeing language into the home.
LINKS AND RESOURCES
Connect with Justin:
- Website: thewellbeingdistillery.com
- Email: justin@thewellbeingdistillery.com
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jrobinson-wellbeing
Connect with Adrienne:
- Website: adriennehornby.com.au
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adrienne-hornby-a4126a205
- Email: hello@adriennehornby.com.au
- Staff Wellbeing Survey: adriennehornby.com.au/staff-survey
- Well-Led Schools Partnership Program: adriennehornby.com.au/school-partnerships
From the blog
Embedding a Sustainable Wellbeing Ecosystem: The Key to Psychosocial Safety and Staff Wellbeing
A Focus on Staff Wellbeing Is Not Enough. You Need a Wellbeing Ecosystem. Most schools are working harder than ever on staff and teacher wellbeing….
The Staff Wellbeing Sweet Spot: Defining Staff Wellbeing in Schools for Maximum Impact
Explaining the intricacies of staff and teacher wellbeing in schools is complex. To help schools and staff recognise what it truly takes to impact educator…
Teacher Wellbeing: The State of the Nation and The Solutions Our Teachers Want Moving Forward
Teacher wellbeing is not just a personal issue; it’s a professional necessity. It’s closely tied to educator success and student outcomes, and a lack of…