Tomorrow Woman and Tomorrow Man acknowledge that our offices are on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nations.
Acknowledgement of Country
Tomorrow Woman acknowledge that our offices are on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nations. We pay respect to elders past, present and future, and all First Nations people.
This guide breaks down the 6 High Impact Wellbeing Strategies (HIWS) developed by the Victorian Department of Education and shows how they can be embedded into daily school life. From emotional check-ins to student voice, discover how small, intentional practices can create safer, more connected classrooms and how Tomorrow Woman’s workshops can support the work.
If you work in a school, you already know that wellbeing isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the invisible thread holding everything together.
But for many educators and wellbeing teams, supporting student wellbeing can feel like an endless list of extra responsibilities. It’s no longer just about learning outcomes or classroom management. It’s about psychological safety, emotional intelligence, trauma recovery, and belonging.
High Impact Wellbeing Strategies (HIWS) were created to bring structure, evidence, and clarity to that work.
Whether you’re a teacher, wellbeing lead, or school leader, this guide will walk you through what HIWS actually means and how to make it work in real classrooms, with real students.
High Impact Wellbeing Strategies (HIWS) are a set of six evidence-informed practices developed by the Victorian Department of Education as part of the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO 2.0).
They’re designed to support prevention and early intervention by embedding wellbeing across daily teaching practice. This isn’t about one-off wellbeing lessons, it’s about building emotionally safe classrooms where every student feels seen, heard, and valued.
And the best part? These strategies are meant to be accessible, sustainable, and owned by the whole school, not just the wellbeing team.
Consistency matters. Students learn best when they know what to expect. Predictable routines, clear boundaries, and emotionally consistent teachers help create safety, especially for students impacted by trauma.
Regular emotional check-ins can be as simple as asking “How are you arriving today?” or using colour-coded emotion cards. The goal is to notice early shifts and respond with care, before escalation.
Wellbeing is not a soft skill, it’s a survival skill. Teaching emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and empathy equips students with the tools they need for healthy relationships and lifelong resilience.
When schools, families, and communities work together, students feel supported from every angle. This means inviting parents into the conversation, translating materials, and recognising that culture shapes how wellbeing is understood and expressed.
Ask students what’s working. Co-create class agreements. Let them name the conditions that help them feel safe. When young people have agency, they’re more likely to engage, respect boundaries, and lead change.
No teacher should have to carry this alone. Collaboration between staff, wellbeing leaders, and leadership ensures that strategies are consistent, coordinated, and aligned with broader school values.
Even with the best intentions, schools sometimes fall into traps that make HIWS harder to sustain. Here are a few patterns to watch for and how to flip them:
Treating HIWS like a tick-box checklist
These aren’t “extras” to implement when there’s time. They’re the foundation. Frame them as part of your school’s culture, not a separate to-do list.
Leaving wellbeing to one person or department
HIWS are most powerful when owned across the staffroom. Create shared language and consistent approaches across classrooms and year levels.
Assuming teachers should already know how to “do wellbeing”
Provide clear, practical support. Teachers need modelling and space to learn, just like students.
Talking about wellbeing but not modelling it
Students pick up on inconsistency. If staff meetings are rushed, stressful, or emotionally unsafe, it undermines everything you’re trying to teach.
At Tomorrow Woman, we believe that real culture change happens when wellbeing isn’t just talked about - it’s lived.
Our workshops directly support several core HIWS pillars:
We create safe, engaging spaces for students to reflect, speak openly, and practise the emotional skills that help them thrive. Through storytelling, discussion, and self-awareness exercises, we help bring FISO 2.0 to life.
We also support staff through partnership, not just PD.
“The thing I found most valuable about the workshop was the tools it gave students to be able to communicate and be vulnerable with each other.”- Teacher, Tomorrow Woman workshop
You don’t need a whole-school rollout to begin. Here are a few easy ways to activate HIWS this term:
Start small. Start now.
High Impact Wellbeing Strategies aren’t just another initiative, they’re a pathway to stronger, safer, more connected schools.
If your school is looking to make wellbeing real, not just something in a policy, Tomorrow Woman can help.
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Tomorrow Woman is a social enterprise in partnership with Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Architects. Our offices are located in Sydney and Melbourne – and we travel everywhere across Australia.
Acknowledgement of Country
We respectfully acknowledge the first custodians of the land on which we live and work, the Wurrundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. We pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging and to all First Nations People. Sovereignty was never ceded and treaties were never signed.
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