Promoting Staff Wellbeing in a Boarding Environment

BSA Issuu Article (Spring 2024)

Anyone who has worked in the world of boarding knows that one of the greatest joys of doing so is the close relationships we build. Yet, on the flip side, one of the disadvantages of living and breathing together 24/7,  is the difficulty we have in maintaining healthy boundaries.

This focus point is always one that generates many questions when I teach this coaching topic as part of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Certificate. Very often, staff have not taken the time to reflect, or know where to begin, with considering how they could establish boundaries for themselves that either protect them from giving from an emotionally empty-tank, or working until they fall asleep, physically exhausted, at their desk.

Staff often choose to attend the Certificate course in order to learn practical strategies to use with pupils. As this attendee mentioned in their feedback, this constitutes a key element of the course:

“Practical tips and advice are great. Having the opportunity to discuss ideas and share experiences with people in similar roles is also really helpful.”

However, it sometimes comes as a surprise to participants, that the guest speakers and I, reiterate the importance of looking after themselves first and refer to the oxygen-mask analogy.  All too often, our own wellbeing is the easiest thing to forget and forego when we operate in a busy and pressured environment.

The importance of this point cannot be undermined. Jenny Anderson, a journalist specialising in Education Issues, discovered when she surveyed a number of students, and asked why they don’t go to teachers for support: the students’ reply was, “because they look so stressed themselves”.

When this is the case, it is clear that something has to change.

https://issuu.com/boardingschoolsassociation/docs/boarding_magazine_spring_2024/82?ff