LET'S LIFT THE LID on
MENTAL ILLNESS IN SCHOOLS!
Some of the important projects we've funded for kids over the years
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID IN SCHOOLS
Adolescence is a time of important change and development. It is also the time when mental health problems such as depression and anxiety first emerge. During the high school years, mental health problems are among the leading causes of falling grades, problems with friends and relationships and substance use or abuse, and they can have a lifelong impact. This is why early intervention is so important.
Schools are an amazing source of support for adolescents and their families, but they can also be a source of strain or stress, especially for young people struggling with their mental health.
This is where Mental Health First Aid training comes in!
Mental health first aid is the help provided to a person who is developing a mental health problem, or who is in a mental health crisis, until appropriate professional treatment is received or the crisis resolves. Mental health first aid strategies are taught in evidence-based training programs authored by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia and conducted by accredited MHFA Instructors across Australia.
The 3.5-hour teen MHFA Course teaches high school students in years 10-12, how to provide mental health first aid to their friends. The course was developed in response to research indicating that young people have a preference for sharing problems with peers. The course curriculum is based on a study undertaken to determine the best actions a young person can undertake to support a peer with a mental health problem.
