PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE SCHOOL

“Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness. Mental health is a state of wellbeing where people can meet their learning potential, cope with normal stresses, and are connected to community and their friends.”

Why mental health and wellbeing is promoted in schools?

For most people, mental health issues emerge when they are young — half of all mental disorders emerge by the time people are 14 years old and three quarters by 25 years old – the same period when most people are in education. Promoting mental health and wellbeing as a core role in education helps students:

· flourish in their education journey

· build resilience against adversity

· develop protective factors from mental ill-health

provide them with skills and confidence to self-seek help for early intervention.

Key features of promoting mental health and wellbeing in schools

A whole school approach involves everyone (schools leaders, teachers, staff and parents) to embed a safe and inclusive learning culture and environments, including:

· providing social and emotional skills programs

· providing timely support for those with additional needs.

· involving students and families in decision-making.

Respectful Relationships teaching and learning resources

· Respectful Relationships supports schools and early childhood settings to promote and model respect, positive

attitudes and behaviors. It teaches our children how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.

As well as being a whole of school approach to promote and model respectful and positive relationships, it also supports educators to teach students how to build relationships, resilience and confidence. learning program is available to teachers from government, Catholic and independent schools.

Respectful Relationships online professional learning program

· The resilience, rights and respectful relationships professional learning program is available to teachers from government, Catholic and independent schools.

Students are further supported to build their social and emotional skills, including confidence, resilience, respect and help-seeking behavior, and staff capability building via whole of school approaches.

At an organizational level, schools:

· foster a friendly, respectful and inclusive environment

· implement a positive approach to behaviour management

· establish proactive policies addressing wellbeing and inclusion

· drive improvement in wellbeing outcomes

· provide opportunities for student participation and leadership

· foster strong partnerships with students, parents, careers, community and service providers.

· Schools enhance mental health and wellbeing and build resilience at three levels - organizational, pedagogical, and relational.

At a pedagogical level, schools:

· explicitly teach social and emotional learning skills

· provide a comprehensive wellbeing education program

explicitly develop personal and social capabilities

At a relational level, schools:

· have high but achievable expectations for student learning and behavior

· promote positive and supportive teacher-student relationships and peer-peer relationships

· use positive approaches to manage student behavior, including fostering a range of strategies to prevent and respond to bullying

notice and intervene when students experience problems related to learning or wellbeing.

Ten Things You Can Do for Your Mental Health

· Value yourself!

· Give yourself!

· Set realistic goals!

· Quiet your mind!

· Take care of your body!

· Break up the monotony!

· Surround yourself with good people!

· Learn how to deal with stress!

· Avoid alcohol and other drugs!

· Get help when you need it!