School leaders have a key role In sustaining the mindful resilience of staff and students under their leadership. We aim to provide school leaders with information and practical strategies for dealing with stress and providing psychological support. The goal is to enhance personal and team effectiveness within schools.
It is important for all staff and leaders to understand that the effects of stress are experienced by everyone. Recognising and managing the effects of stress is equally important at home as it is at school. Leaders must create conditions where their staff and students can talk about and make sense of their experiences. School leaders should remember that the more staff know about normal reactions to stress, the more resilient they will be at dealing with the effects of stress. Leaders should not underestimate their influence on the morale and wellbeing of their staff.
Promoting positive pathways to mental health
Mental health is how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life. Good mental health is a positive response to stress, to relationships, to situations. Good mental health equips us to make life-affirming choices.
Royal Commission into Mental Health
The Royal Commission into Mental Health will look at: - building stronger links between mental health and education - preventing mental illness and early interventions - increasing service availability - setting high standards for quality and safety
Australian schools are strongly encouraged to: - support their workforce with appropriate mental health strategies - recognise circumstances and context
visit the Royal Commission website https://engage.vic.gov.au/royal-commission-mental-health-terms-of-reference
Mental health continuum
The arrow under the four colour blocks indicates health is a continuum, and the state of one's health can move back and forth on the continuum.