Defence Force FAMILIES

The Defence School Mentor Program provides support to the children and families of ADF members, particularly when moving in and out of a school on posting or when a parent is absent from home.

At Viewbank PS we are very proud to say that we enrol a number of students from Australian Defence Force backgrounds. Our Defence School Mentor is Mrs Georgeina Fisher.

Georgeina’s role is to:

• Assist ADF parents and children to become familiar with the school and its facilities

• Co-ordinate appropriate welcoming and farewelling activities for ADF children

• Monitor ADF children’s personal issues such as friendship, peer groups and classroom difficulties

• Contribute items of interest to the school newsletter

• Maintain contact with ADF families who are enrolled in the school

Georgeina works closely with families, making the transition as seamless as possible. She liaises with families and between families, and works with children within the classroom. She is available during holiday breaks to meet with new ‘enrollees’ and deals with phone calls to school by out-of-state parents wanting to know more information about the school and its enrolment procedures. She has made introductions between families and children in similar ‘transitory’ phases, and has been the first ‘point-of-contact’ for Defence Force families and students, as well as being a wealth of information.

Georgeina has also been required to help children adapt to changing situations when families were posted out to equip them with strategies to better cope with changed circumstances. For further information about the Defence School Mentor Program please refer to Defence Member and Family Support website.