Staff Profile - Eden Foster

Staff Profile

COLLEGE PSYCHOLOGIST, EDEN FOSTER

College Psychologist Eden Foster wears many hats after also being elected Deputy Mayor for the City of Greater Dandenong in November this year.

What do you enjoy most about being a psychologist?

Being a psychologist allows me to offer hope to individuals who may be facing struggles and challenges. It is an honour and privilege to be trusted to hold such valuable aspects of a person and to support them through it. Being a psychologist is a rewarding role, particularly in a school where you have the benefit of seeing a young person over the seven years, and flourish during that time.

Tell us about your role at St Aloysius College

At St Aloysius College, no day is the same and my tasks are very diverse. Much of my day will involve individual counselling sessions with students presenting with a range of needs. The rest of my time involves facilitating Nourish sessions for the various year levels, focusing on wellbeing matters to bring out the best in our students. I also provide advice to staff and parents on how to support students based on individual needs. Since commencing a St Aloysius, I have introduced various wellbeing programs that the College has since incorporated into its general routine, including Mindfulness, Wellbeing Wednesday, and Wellbeing Week.

What made you consider local politics as an additional career, and what makes it special to you?

The municipality that I grew up in and still reside in, and now represent, is a very diverse and multicultural place and one that I am so proud of. What ultimately drives me is the desire to help others, and COVID-19 has highlighted the gaps in our society, particularly when it comes to social concerns such as housing, mental health, loneliness, and isolation. My campaign for entering local government in the City of Greater Dandenong in 2020 centred on speaking up for those who may not have a voice. I am very passionate about giving everyone an opportunity in our society.

How do the two roles intersect?

My training as a psychologist has influenced and shaped my views on how local services can be better provided. Just like a municipality, St Aloysius is a community. There are varied needs from one person to the next and understanding these individual needs helps to make for better supports and services. I believe my role here at St Aloysius has given me great experience in supporting a community, and I am able to implement this experience on a larger scale in local government.

How did you feel when you found out about your election to the Deputy Mayor role?

I nominated to run for Deputy Mayor because I saw the need to have someone who understands wellbeing and mental health in the leadership role to support the city’s recovery from COVID-19. As Melbournians, we have been through a great deal over the past 18 months and our communities are still recovering from this. When my fellow Councillors supported me in this role, I felt overwhelming pride and gratitude for the opportunity, and a great sense of duty to follow through on my pledge, which I believe I am equipped to do with the support of those around me.