Education providers play a vital role in supporting young people at risk of or experiencing eating disorders. However, staff can often feel apprehensive about how to best support students who may be experiencing difficulties.

EDV’s Education team provide professional development workshops to equip people working in education (primary, secondary and tertiary) with the skills needed to identify and support students who may be at risk of an eating disorder. Workshops can also be tailored depending on the need of your school.

If you’re not sure where to start or what your schools needs, we recommend signing up to receive a free copy of our guide for schools below.

EDV encourages a whole school approach to eating disorders. A whole school approach involves everyone including students, teachers and staff, and parents.

It should include a clear policy with regards to what strategies a school will employ for the prevention, early intervention and management of eating disorders including professional development, curricula, and engaging parents. EDV believe this approach is key to early intervention/intervention efforts because it offers a more integrated community response to the needs of young people.

ED101: for School Staff

A 90 minute workshop designed to provide staff with some basic information about eating disorders, including:

• Eating Disorders – a brief overview of types, risk factors and warning signs
• The role of body image, dieting and the media
• Factors that can protect against the development of an eating disorder
• The importance of early intervention

Suitable for all school staff (maximum 30 people)

ED102: Approach, Communicate, Connect

2hr workshop includes education and role playing. Suitable for the staff and parents.

• How to build communication skills to approach someone they are concerned about connect them with support.
• In depth overview of treatment pathways
• The role of different health professionals
• How to identify if someone needs crisis support

Growing up in today’s appearance-focused world can be tough. Social media, celebrity culture and reality television all have an impact on the way young people feel about themselves and their bodies. Sadly, too many young people experience poor body image, low self-esteem and in some cases, eating disorders.

EDV workshops for students are appropriate when young people in the school community have been identified as being at risk of developing an eating disorder and have been developed according to the NEDC guidelines for the prevention, early identification and response to eating disorders in schools. Student workshops focus on raising an awareness of eating disorders and supporting young people to identify and support peers in the school community who may be engaging in disordered eating behaviours. Workshops also provide strategies that encourage healthy relationships with body, food and physical activity, including managing diet talk, unhelpful thinking styles, and challenging societal appearance ideals. Please use the contact form below or email [email protected] to find out how EDV can support your school with student workshops and for pricing options.

Please note, if you are a teacher or member of the wellbeing team looking for workshops for students that are prevention-focused and focus on topics such as promoting positive body image and self-esteem, media literacy, and healthy relationships with food and physical activity, please contact The Butterfly Foundation.

The Body Project Australia

Body Project Australia is a dissonance-based early intervention program for young women aged 14-18 years who experience body dissatisfaction. The program is an adapted version of The Body Project, an evidence-based program that has been delivered to young women worldwide.

The program aims to decrease the extent to which young women ‘buy into’ societal appearance ideals by voluntarily engaging them in a series of verbal, written and behavioural exercises. The program is suitable for students who identify themselves as being dissatisfied with their body, and may be engaging in dieting and disordered eating behaviours.

The program is:

• A four-week program delivered over consecutive weeks
• Sessions are 1.5 hours in duration (or a double period)
• Designed to be delivered to a group of up to 12 young people
• Delivered by EDV trained facilitators
• Delivered during or after school hours

Parents and carers are often the most influential people in their child’s life. By engaging the parents/carers of your students in an EDV workshop, you will help to foster positive body image and strong self-esteem in their households, as well as help them identify the warning signs of an eating disorder.

Promoting Positive Body Image: A Guide for Parents and Carers

This 90-minute workshop provides parents/carers of primary and secondary students with a brief overview of eating disorders and focuses on risk factors, warning signs and the protective factors that can help reduce the risk of an eating disorder developing. It covers:

• Eating disorders: types, risk factors, warning signs
• Protective factors
• The role of body image and the media
• The dangers of dieting
• Being a positive role model

Eating Disorders and Wellbeing for University Students

1.5hr workshop for university students who are interested in learning more about eating disorders and wellbeing for themselves and their community. This workshop covers:

• Education of eating disorders
• Body image
• Healthy movement and eating
• Coping mechanisms
• Seeking help and self-care

For further information or to make an enquiry about the presentations on offer, please fill out the enquiry form.