Whole-School Wellbeing-Leadership & Counselling in Collaboration

Abstract Book of the 11th International Conference on New Approaches in Education

Year: 2026

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Whole-School Wellbeing-Leadership & Counselling in Collaboration

Selin Bayzar nisan, Canan Aydoğan

ABSTRACT:

Whole-School Wellbeing: Leadership and Counselling Working Together Student wellbeing has increasingly become a central priority in contemporary education systems. However, wellbeing cannot be addressed solely through individual counselling interventions; it requires a systemic, whole-school approach embedded in leadership vision and daily practice. This presentation explores a collaborative model in which school leadership and counselling services work in alignment to create sustainable wellbeing structures. Drawing on practical experience from an educational context,the session examines how leadership can integrate wellbeing into school culture through strategic planning, policy alignment, and teacher engagement. It highlights the importance of moving from reactive, crisis-based responses to preventative and evidence-informed practices.
From the counselling perspective, the presentation outlines early identification systems, group-based interventions, student voice initiatives, and structured support mechanisms designed to promote psychological safety and resilience. Central to the model is an ongoing partnership between leadership and counselling teams, supported by regular data-informed meetings, shared intervention planning. A brief case examples illustrates how collaborative action can reduce student anxiety and strengthen agency within academic environments. The session argues that when wellbeing is positioned as a shared institutional responsibility rather than a delegated function, schools can cultivate environments where both students and educators thrive. By aligning vision, strategy, and support systems, leadership and counselling together transform wellbeing from an isolated service into a sustainable cultural foundation.

Keywords: Agency,Early Intervention, Preventative Practices, Psychological Safety , Whole-School Approach