Royal Bay Secondary School

The Wellness Centre

• What is a school based Wellness Centre? A Wellness Centre is a centralized location where students will find a number of health services for mental, sexual, and physical health, as well as health promotion strategies. It is a place where students can be assessed, treated, and referred to other programs or services as needed. The centre will provide guidance in locating any services that aren’t provided at the Wellness Centre itself.
• Why do we need a Wellness Centre?  Research shows that youth who have health concerns don’t perform as well in school as they might otherwise do. And students who don’t perform well in school have more health issues later in life. By bringing health services into the school, we are providing more timely and appropriate access to services in the hope that the youth will be as healthy as possible, not only while they are in school but over their lifetime.
• Who is it for?  It is for students and youth of the Westshore area (School District 62).
• Who will work at the Centre and what will they do?  The team at the Wellness Centre will be made up of Public Health Nurses (PHN), Nurse Practitioners (NP), doctors, mental health and substance use counsellors, Medical Office Assistants (MOA), students and volunteers. Whatever questions or concerns the student may have, the best suited team member(s) will provide care. The team will work together to make the student feel welcomed and their specific concerns addressed. Referral to appropriate collaborating agencies will also take place. If referrals are needed to another agency or specialist, the team will ensure the student is supported in getting the care they need. At the Centre, “Every door is the right door”. Students and volunteers will be involved in planning educational opportunities for the student body and the community.