Supporting boarders with homesickness

• Date: October 10, 2024
• Time: 11:00 – 12:00
• Cost: BSA Member Rate: £90, BSA Additional Full Member Rate: £45, BSA Affiliate Member Rate – £120, BSA Additional Affiliate Member Rate: £45, Non-member Rate: £180*
• Audience: All boarding practitioners
• Platform: Zoom (online) Webinar

Course outline:

Homesickness is a genuine issue for those who suffer with it, though it can be easily disregarded as a small thing and one to ignore until it passes. Feelings associated with homesickness can hinder the adjustment process and significantly impact a student’s ability to thrive in the boarding environment, and across school more widely. For practitioners working with boarders, especially at the start of the academic year and the return from any holiday leave where boarders return home for a period, ensuring strategies to support boarders with their homesickness is essential. This webinar will consider how to identify homesickness, explore proven strategies and resources to support individuals experiencing homesickness and discuss best practice for creating a supportive boarding environment that fosters emotional wellbeing for all. 

Training topics will include:

• Identification of homesickness 
• Understanding the impact of homesickness 
• Strategies to support those with homesickness 
• Individualised care 

Learning outcomes

• Understand how to identify and measure the impact of homesickness 
• Develop strategies to support those with homesickness 
• Be able to produce an individualised care plan 

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Speaker:

Ally Onions, Head of Safeguarding and Mental Health, St George’s School Windsor Castle

Ally Onions is currently the Head of Safeguarding and Mental Health at St George’s School Windsor Castle. With her husband Jonny, they run the boarding house, which includes looking after the choristers who sing in St George’s Chapel. Ally has worked in boarding education for over 20 years. She recently completed an MA in Boarding Education, looking at resilience and prep boarders. Ally is a trained Mental Health First Aider and Instructor Member, and is currently rolling out training to staff and parents.