Condobolin primary schools encouraged to join innovative, new student mental wellbeing initiative

Condobolin Primary Schools are being encouraged to participate in a new wellbeing initiative that aims to build emotional intelligence and resilience in young children.

The Primary School Wellbeing Program, developed by Positive Living Skills, draws on research from Charles Sturt University to provide a truly preventative approach to helping establish and support mental wellbeing in five to 12 year olds.

The teacher-led program uses an integrated curriculum and a range of immersive learning experiences to nurture positive interactions, resilience, healthy self-esteem and personal management amongst students.

The program uses pre-prepared resources and provides a fresh, comprehensive, curriculum-mapped approach to teaching mental wellbeing and life skills in Australian primary schools.

“Our Primary School Wellbeing program takes a whole community approach to supporting and encouraging mental wellbeing in youngsters,” former Western NSW Parkes resident Catherine Shaw, founder of Positive Living Skills explained.

“Life in rural communities can be very demanding. The last few years have brought untold challenges that have had a devastating effect on many communities and this can manifest in increased anxiety and lowered resilience in children.

“At a time when youngsters should be carefree, anxiety and waning self-esteem is negatively impacting their growth and development. If they learn appropriate coping skills at a young age they will have these to draw upon as they face challenges later in life.

“The resources are delivered through the schools but focuses on the whole community: teachers, students and families. By participating, schools are helping to provide their students with the language and skills to strengthen their mental resolve and outlooks that helps to enhance wellbeing throughout the community.”

Positive Living Skills is a social impact organisation founded on lived experience in Western NSW.

The Positive Living Skills programs support early learning services and primary schools across Australia to lead a culture of mental wellbeing in their communities through teacher-led evidence-based resources, lessons and programs that are mapped to the current national curricula and NSW PDHPE Syllabus.

The program is fully supported by Western NSW Primary Health Network and available to a limited number of Condobolin primary schools. Expressions of Interest are due by 30 July 2021.

For more information visit: https://www.positivelivingskills.com.au/wnswphn-funding-opportunity