Mind Matters: A Mental Health Promotion Resource for Secondary Schools

Citation

Weare, K. (2001), "Mind Matters: A Mental Health Promotion Resource for Secondary Schools", Health Education, Vol. 101 No. 5, pp. 243-245. https://doi.org/10.1108/he.2001.101.5.243.1

Mind Matters is a teaching resource for schools, consisting of six books and a video, all encased in a jazzy, bright orange box. It has been produced by a consortium of the best minds in health promotion in Australia, and represents a cooperation between two universities (Deakin and Sydney) and various major bodies involved in health in Australia, supported by a vast group from various agencies and schools. It represents a wide‐ ranging, holistic approach to the teaching of mental health issues in schools. It advocates basing the work within a whole school/HPS approach, and the first book in the pack helps schools consider whole school issues such as “mapping and managing mental health in schools”. Other books look at more specific topics, such as preventing self‐harm and suicide, enhancing resilience through communication and the management of stress, dealing with bullying, responding to grief and loss, and understanding mental illness. Each book begins with general advice for schools and teachers on tackling the topic in question within an HPS approach, and gives substantial guidelines and orientation on the issues, including the need for teachers themselves to be professionally prepared to teach in these areas. The books then go on to suggest a series of varied, flexible and lively lessons, with accompanying materials.

The materials are clearly written by those who know their subject‐matter inside out, and also know how to communicate it swiftly and effectively to teachers in a way that helps them feel that teaching these sensitive and challenging issues is within their grasp, educationally rewarding, and even fun. The materials are fairly generic in style, and could easily be used by schools in many parts of the developed world without too much adaptation; indeed all schools in such countries would benefit from having a copy and using it extensively and intensively, ideally after a teacher education programme around the issues involved.