Mind Matters
As a part of the MindMatters whole school approach to student wellbeing, the Wellbeing Action Team has developed a list of useful web links to support the key components of this program. The web links encompass the ideals of developing a positive school community, assisting parents and families, building resilience and supporting students with mental health difficulties.
Cybersmart – Australian Communications and Media Authority
Cybersmart is a national cybersafety and cybersecurity education program managed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), as part of the Australian Government’s commitment to cybersafety. The program is specifically designed to meet the needs of its target audiences of children, young people, parents, teachers and library staff.
The following are some of the resources on this website.
For students:
- My Digital Reputation
- Cyberbullying
- Sexting
- Unwanted contact
For Parents
- Excessive Use
- Guide to Online Safety
- Social Networking (the platforms with which parents should be familiar)
For Teachers
- Cyber Issues
- Policy Guidance
- Resources and Lesson Plans
MindMatters
MindMatters is a mental health initiative for secondary schools that aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people. MindMatters helps schools promote positive mental health through the whole school community and aims to prevent mental health difficulties in students by taking steps to improve relationships and resilience. Promotion, prevention and early intervention are central tenets of the MindMatters’ approach. The use of MindMatters’ comprehensive resources has mental health benefits for the entire school community – including students, families and school staff. The MindMatters holistic framework is built around key components:
- positive school community
- student skills for resilience
- parents and families
- support for students experiencing mental health difficulties
Resources on this website need to be accessed by creating a free account.
Kids Helpline
http://www.kidshelpline.com.au
Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free, 24-hour counseling service for young people. Counseling is offered by phone, email and over the web.
The service aims to empower young people by:
- assisting them to develop options
- identify and understand the consequences of a particular course of action
- facilitate more productive relationships with family and friends
- provide information on local support services
Beyond Blue
Depression often emerges during adolescence, with long-standing research suggesting 1 in 5 adolescents experience depression by the time they reach 18 years.
beyondblue has developed a range of programs for use in early childhood, primary and secondary schools, and tertiary settings. These programs emphasise proven methods, tools and support to help schools work with parents and carers, health services and the wider community, to nurture happy, balanced kids. This website offers fact sheets, videos, interactive programs and on-line forums for all members of the school community. 24-hour assistance is available.
Reach Out
ReachOut.com is Australia’s leading online youth mental health service.
On ReachOut.com, there is additional information and fact sheets that relate to adolescent issues (including relationships, personal identity, mental health issues, violence and school and study issues).
The Black Dog Institute
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
The Black Dog Institute is a not-for-profit organisation and world leader in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.
Resources include fact sheets, videos and some interactive components.
Some resources on this website can only be accessed by creating a free account.
Bite Back
BITE BACK is an engaging student -centered website dedicated to improving youth resilience, wellbeing and mental fitness. Join for free to get full access to all activities and discussions where people are amplifying the ‘good stuff’ in life. Resources include competitions, BLOGS, quizzes and questionnaires on aspects of mental fitness, including personality, mindfulness and happiness.
Head Space
Headspace provides young people (12-25) and their families with information, support and advice on:
- general health
- mental health and wellbeing
- alcohol and other drugs
- education, employment and other services
Headspace Centres around Australia provide young people with access to youth-friendly health professionals and the Headspace website has a section devoted to supporting parents and carers.
Youth Beyond Blue
This website is specifically designed for youth. If you’re feeling sad, down or anxious and these feelings have started to affect what you would normally enjoy or do, then it’s important to find out what’s going on and what you can do about it.
There are videos, quizzes and Apps to explore along with a phone number to ring, or you can join an online chat where you can get help.
SMILING MIND WEBSITE AND APP
Smiling Mind is meditation made easy: a simple tool that helps put a smile on your mind anytime, anywhere and everyday. Smiling Mind is modern meditation for young people. It is a unique web and App-based program, designed to help bring balance to young lives. You will be required to create a free user name and password to log in to access the meditations. There are four program categories including age-specific programs, educational, sports (individuals or clubs) and the corporate environment.
OxyGen website
OxyGen is the only Australian website dedicated to informing young people about tobacco and its use in Australia.
The website aims to help young people explore the facts about smoking and the tobacco industry for themselves through interactive content and video clips. It also encourages them to get involved in the issues by giving them the ability to upload their own content.
OxyGen also features many informative fact sheets to help with assignments, links, news items and some cool games. The website is also a portal for educators to access a large range of tobacco education resources and support materials that aim to reduce the prevalence of youth smoking.
Aims of OxyGen
- To inform young people about the harmful effects and impacts of smoking.
- To empower young people with knowledge about the tobacco industry and their marketing strategies.
- To promote and encourage young people to adopt and/or sustain a smoke free lifestyle.
- To provide educators with access to a large range of tobacco education resources and smoking prevention materials.
Drug info website
http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/
Drug Info is a service provided by The Australian Drug Foundation that offers information about alcohol and other drugs and the prevention of related harms.
You can receive information via the website, phone, email or text message.
National Drugs Campaign Website – Australian Government
http://www.drugs.health.gov.au/
The Australian Government’s National Drugs Campaign (NDC) is part of the National Drug Strategy 2010-2015 and specifically aims to reduce young Australians’ motivation to use illicit drugs by increasing their knowledge about the potential negative consequences of drug use.
Target audiences
- Youth aged 15-21 years who are at risk of using ecstasy and/or other illicit drugs; and
- Parents of 13-17 year olds.
Key overall messages
- There are specific risks and harms associated with using ecstasy;
- There are real risks and harms associated with using illicit drugs;
- There are real benefits to not using ecstasy and other illicit drugs; and
- There is a range of information available on the facts about using ecstasy and other illicit drugs.
Victoria Police Partysafe Program
The Victoria Police Partysafe Program is about minimising the risks to safety at parties such as violence, intoxicated guests or gatecrashers, so that hosts and their guests can stay safe and have fun.
The program allows you to register your party with the police online or at your local police station.
Download the Victoria Police Partysafe Program Booklet for tips on hosting a party.
http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=9566
Raising Children Network
The Raising Children website offers up-to-date, research-based material on more than 800 topics spanning child development, behaviour, health, nutrition and fitness, play and learning, connecting and communicating, school and education, entertainment and technology, sleep and safety. The website is growing all the time and covers a broad range of up-to-date parenting topics.
Parenting Ideas – Raising Exceptional Kids
http://www.parentingideas.com.au/Home
Michael Grose is the author of 8 parenting books and regularly writes a parenting column for newspapers and magazines across Australia. He appears on television including Channel 10’s The Circle, and is a popular & entertaining speaker as well as a frequent columnist for a variety of written media. He also has a regular fortnightly half hour parenting segment on ABC radio Victoria. You could join a parenting seminar and sign up for the parenting newsletter.
Family Relationships Online – Helping Families Build Better Relationships
http://www.familyrelationships.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
Family Relationships Online is an Australian Government Website which provides all families (whether together or separated) with access to information about family relationship issues, ranging from building better relationships to dispute resolution. It also allows families to find out about a range of services that can assist them to manage relationship issues, including agreeing on appropriate arrangements for children after parents separate.
