Canberra community helps fund more mental health support for ACT primary schools

It was clear there was a demand for mental health support not only in high schools but in primary schools as well.

Now, thanks to the generosity of the Canberra community, a new mental health program created by MIEACT is expected be delivered to 8-10-year-olds across public and private schools from later this year.

MIEACT chief executive officer Heidi Prowse says the Thriving Minds: Empowering Futures program will provide ACT primary school children with a "toolbox" of mental health, wellbeing and effective help-seeking strategies.

It will be free to the schools, thanks to community fundraising, including more than $120,000 raised by the MIEACT's inaugural ball earlier this month, which included a $26,000 donation from the John James Foundation.

Ms Prowse said some schools would start the program this year, with "more and more schools" to be added, working in partnership with teachers to "take the load off".

It is a considerable burden, too. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 314,000 children aged four to 11 experience mental health issues.

Fundraising will be ongoing, with $30 providing one child a place on the Thriving Minds: Empowered Futures program. Conversations were also continuing with the ACT Government about future funding as well.

"But I can't thank the community enough for standing up and helping us to get this going now," Ms Prowse said.

The focus of the program is on year three and four students, teaching them about issues from friendships to managing their emotions, with parents also brought in at the end for a celebration and to help the learning continue at home.

The three-week program includes using story books to explain some of the issues simply. It is about early intervention, giving children coping skills before any problems become worse in high school or later in life.

"It's not necessarily jumping into very complex mental issue," Ms Prowse said.

"What we're trying to do is start those positive well-being behaviours and communication. 'How do I talk about how I'm feeling?'. 'Who is a safe person for me to talk to?' and giving young people a number of options.

"And to really start to set them up for a really positive future. And for us it's about, if we come in at age eight, we can really change the trajectory of young people's lives."

ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations executive officer Veronica Elliott says extra support in schools in the area of mental health is welcome.

"The feedback we have had from parents and carers says the need for mental health support for all students including those in primary schools is quite high and we know for a lot of services there are very long waiting lists and so any programs that supports students, including those by MIEACT, are welcome," Ms Elliott said.

"Generally, what we are seeing are younger and younger students who are experiencing conditions such as anxiety more frequently that previously.

"I don't think anyone has really worked out why that is. We know there are different pressures on students today in terms of social media and having a presence online that wasn't there in previous generations, so that's probably a factor."

Radford Junior School teacher Bec Shea was part of the Thriving Minds pilot program in 2019 and found it to be extremely valuable.

"We actually had trained volunteers coming out to the classroom so I think it took pressure off the teachers to have to find time, learn the content and provide it," Miss Shea said.

"The kids were really engaged in the program. They enjoyed just someone new in the classroom presenting the information, so that was great.

"I think it created a really safe environment for those tough conversations, particularly around mental illness and the stigmas that can come with that. So there were trained professionals in the classroom as well as the teacher so it was a really safe place to have those conversations."

Ms Shea said the students were asked to talk about self-care and identify five people they could talk to about challenging situations.

"That also gave responsibility to them and practical ways they could go about making themselves feel better or what to do in challenging situations," she said.

"It also aligned with the curriculum, so it wasn't an add-on we had to do."

Miss Shea believed early intervention mental health support was important in the primary school years.

"Absolutely. It's essential," she said. "And this is a great step in the right direction."