The Flourish Movement

Join us in this episode as we sit down with an exceptional school principal, Chris Whitten, who is transforming his school through a deep commitment to staff and student wellbeing. Discover the innovative strategies and leadership practices that have led to his school being rated as ‘excelling in the area of wellbeing’. 

This episode is a must-listen for all educators, as Chris shares with us his school’s wellbeing journey and some really practical tools. Through initiatives such as a strengths-based approach, Chris has had a very positive impact on students and staff alike.  

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast.  

The following recording contains themes that may be disturbing to some audiences.

In this episode, we're privileged to be joined by two incredible principals, Jude Hayman and Scott Sanford, to shine a light on the often-overlooked area of Vicarious Trauma in education.  

But this episode is not about sharing and dwelling on all the incredible tough things educators deal with when supporting their students, parents, their staff and the community. Instead, focus on solutions. We share with you the strategies and practices that Jude and Scott have implemented within their schools and in their personal lives to support themselves and effectively manage and minimise the impact of vicarious trauma on them and their staff. From fostering a culture of open communication and vulnerability, to ensuring the practice of self-care, they offer really practical insights and actionable advice for principals and educators alike. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSW Primary Principals Association, our learning partner in this podcast. 

In this podcast episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with Principal Adam Downes. Join us as we unpack the concept of Kevin and how Adam used it to evolve his leadership. Through vulnerability and self-awareness, he has managed to take a new approach to the way he engages with his inner critic. 

We explore how he uses self-awareness and acceptance to get perspective on his leadership style, as well as practical strategies he developed to improve his capability as a leader.  

If you want to find out more about how you can re-imagine the relationship you have with your inner critic, make sure you tune in to this great episode, as we explore the fascinating relationship we all have with our thoughts and emotions. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSW Primary Principals Association, our learning partner in this podcast. 

In this very special episode, we talk about the deep meaning and purpose that sits behind school leaders. Our guest, the incredible Melinda Smith, shares her inspiring story and the journey that led her to a leadership role at a special education school, revealing the profound meaning and purpose that drives her work each day. 

She opens up about her personal connection to special education and how it shaped her career path. Drawing from her own experiences and insights, Melinda shares valuable lessons emphasising the importance of living in alignment to your meaning and values. She reminds us that school leaders, as well as educators in general, have the extraordinary opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of their students and communities, so long they don’t lose sight of what’s really important. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast. 

In this episode, Principal Jane Grieger shares the proactive steps her and her staff took to address staff shortages in her regional school. Jane shares the challenges they faced, how waiting for external solutions wasn't enough and the innovative strategies they came up with to attract teachers to her region.  

She also shares her leadership philosophy and the values embedded in her school's culture that allowed for this proactive approach and mindset. Through collaboration, open communication, transparency, and openness to feedback, not only from her staff, but parents as well, she has been able to improve her school’s situation. 

Jane’s story shows the power of proactive leadership and collaborative action in overcoming challenges. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast. 

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Principal Louise Challis. Louise shares her initial struggles with guilt and reluctance to prioritise herself due to the demanding responsibilities of her role. We talk about some of the detrimental mindsets and expectations surrounding the role of a school leader, which perpetuate the myth of self-neglect and sacrifice as a badge of honour for educators.

Through reflection and support from her colleagues throughout The Flourish Movement program, Louise realised it had been a while since she had done something just for herself and for her own enjoyment. She shares key moments of realisation and the practical steps she took to practicing recovery and being able to prioritise the things that are most important to her. 

Her story serves as a powerful reminder that by prioritising their own wellbeing, educators not only sustain themselves, but also create environments where students and staff can Flourish.

A special thank you to the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this podcast.

In this episode, we talk to Simon Ellaby, the proud Principal of a Special Education School in Tasmania. Since joining the school, Simon has put a lot of time and effort into improving the culture of the school and the staff’s wellbeing. As a result of this, he saw significant reductions in absenteeism (200 days last year), the number of critical incidents, teachers want to come and work at his school and his current staff is engaged in their work. In times where schools are struggling to find staff, we dive into how Simon created a space that, not only retains, but also attracts staff.

A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association, our learning partner in this podcast.

We had to bring back Rebecca Challenor after we found out she won an incredible award for Best Remote Learning Program at the Australian Education Awards. During lockdown and remote learning, she had 100% attendance. In this episode, she will share the amazing things she and her school did during that time that led to the award. She also shares the lessons she has learned and the practices she used during lockdown and have now been put into place in face-to-face learning.

A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association for sponsoring this project.

In this episode, we welcome Mark Peterson. Mark is a very experienced Principal with the amazing ability to stay calm even in the most complex situations. As a leader, the way you show up to difficult circumstances can dictate the outcome you are going to get and how people perceive you as a leader. Hear from Mark the strategies he uses to ensure that his staff and community see him as the consistent, calm and reliable leader he tries to be. 

A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association for sponsoring this project.

This is a very special episode as we go back to the beginning of Flourish and welcome one of the people responsible for the creation of The Flourish Movement. Susan Hilliar has had a long career in education, though it hasn’t always been an easy, joyful one. Back in 2016, Susan hit a really dark place in her career. Detrimental mindsets like ‘I need to be everything to everyone’, ‘I can’t show weakness or vulnerability’, ‘I have to put on a strong face all the time’, as well as a real sense of professional isolation and loneliness, really drove her down to the point of considering walking out on the role she had always been so passionate about. Fast forward to 2023 and Susan is still working in education and is living the best years of her career. In this episode, she tells us about her journey and how she managed to turn things around.  

A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association for sponsoring this project.