This issue
Considering attending a MindMatters Professional Development Workshop? Just look at our results!
MindMatters workshops have a positive influence on peoples' confidence to encourage help seeking as demonstrated by these "before" and "after" graphs based on participant feedback from January 2011 - 31 March 2011. For more information about when and where you can attend a PD in your state, visit the Professional Development Calendar 
New ONLINE Did you know MindMatters is on YouTube? See the Principals Australia channel for more! Watch YouTube video
Funding for MindMatters and KidsMatters Programs in WA? Calls for more funding to roll out MindMatters and KidsMatters programs in WA schools. Read more here
International MindMatters presented at the International ACHPER conference on the topic of How can you integrate social and emotional learning into active HPE lessons? The session was well received as an example of explicitly teaching social and emotional skills across all areas of the curriculum while maintaining the integrity and curriculum content of the individual subject.
Links With Professional StandardsPrincipals
Australia was funded by AITSL (Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership) for two pilot studies in relation to the
exposure draft of the National Professional Standard for Principals.
click to read moreThe
first pilot focus was to map, MindMatters and Kids Matter Primary
against the Standard. Principal Australia
worked nationally with groups of experienced MindMatters principals to
talk about the relationship between the models and the activities used
in MindMatters and the learnings in relation to the Standard.
The reports were presented to AITSL and an invited audience that
included other pilot study presenters at a Symposium in June in
Melbourne.
Key CollaborationPrograms
MindMatters is working at the national level with; - Inspire Foundation and ReachOut
- Black Dog Institute and HeadStrong
- Beyond blue and SenseAbility
to map and align resource development, professional development and ensure common and up to date information is provided to schools. The MM framework is being used as the organiser to demonstrate where each resource and initiative fits within a whole school approach. Issues
MindMatters was invited to provide comment on the topic of suicide prevention in schools by L.I.F.E. (Living is For Everyone.) You can read the article and comments here Service Providers
MindMatters continues to value relationships with service providers and other experts in the mental health filed across all states and territories e.g.headspace, CAMHS, School Link, COPMI etc.
Available now for download - Self Injury Guide for Schools This guide was developed by The University of Queensland Group for Suicide Prevention Studies at the Centre for Clinical Neuroscience and Psychiatry. It's entitled Seeking solutions to self-injury - A Guide for School Staff and is available for download here
Student Empowerment National Update
Positive Schools Conference in Brisbane May 27th
Partnership with young people and health was the main theme of the MindMatters presentation that occurred at the Positive Schools Conference in Brisbane in May.
click to read moreGemma Frampton, Youth Empowerment Mentor based in Queensland and Cathy Venning, National Project Officer facilitated to a group of 35 interested participants about how the MindMatters Youth Empowerment Process works in schools. It was a fabulous demonstration of partnership as Gemma and Cathy worked seamlessly to present the concepts that are included and give demonstrations of the activities that are included in the workshops. Participants were also given the opportunity to explore the 5 key process of empowerment and what this means.
We were also able to share about the partnership that MindMatters has in South Australia with the Centre for Health Promotion, SA Health and the positive outcomes that this has for both parties in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing and contributing towards the overall community wellbeing. Youth Presenters facilitate at Health forum
Hannah Keane and Aaron Ken worked with Centre for Health Promotion staff in SA to facilitate a workshop for young people from across metro and regional South Australia to find out more about what strategies they would see as successful in addressing health issues for young people.
click to read more Having involvement in the planning and then the workshop on the day the ideas and suggestions that young people were able to feedback to the Centre for Health Promotion staff were innovative and well thought out. It was great to have some of the students from schools who have been involved with MindMatters YEP and headroom in attendance to also give there informed ideas. Welcome to new Youth Presenters We welcome Caitlin Boulter to the Youth Presenter team. Caitlin is based in Darwin and presented at her first Student Empowerment module in June. Participants at the workshop enjoyed Caitlin's input and insight into empowering young people in mental health promotion inspired adults and students alike at the workshop to think about possibilities of working closely with young people in leading mental health promotion in their organisations.
Brooke Redman began working with the Youth Empowerment Process in 2010 when she was at school. It is fabulous that we are now able to utilise Brooke's experience and knowledge in supporting the YEP and student empowerment workshops in South Australia. Brooke was involved in facilitating her first workshop for Seaton High School recently and we are looking forward to working with her more as the year progresses.
Coming Events More work in South Australia in 3 different regions, in conjunction with Centre for Health Promotion
YEP Workshop in Bendigo continuing on with the work that began in 2010.
YEP Workshop in ACT with schools involved in the ACT Dance and Drama festival.
YEP Workshop in Albany following on from the student empowerment module that occurred earlier in 2011. Exciting and inspiring! It is amazing working with the talented group of youth presenters and mentors that we have in MindMatters and seeing the work that students and staff are doing in schools across Australia.
If you would like to find out more about how you can be excited and inspired about this work contact Cathy Venning, MindMatters National Project Officer cathy.venning@pa.edu.au or 0412 951 583.
Working with Anangu
Learning Circles - An example of Community Partnerships Process
The Traditional Owners for Uluru/Kata Tjuta are contributing financial support towards designing and developing a locally delivered MindMatters/Keeping Safe program using a process similar to the one used on the APY Lands in South Australia.
Click to read moreThe first meeting in 2011 involved an introduction to the MindMatters Keeping Safe processes and resources. South Australian Anangu leaders from the APY Lands explained this work to interested leaders from three communities. In Central Australia;
The second forum was a presentation to the College Board of Directors. From there, there was consensus to hold a Learning Circle Forum with community from the College.
The Learning Circle, the third gathering in the implementation process was centered around planning ahead for the future of the college; "Moving Forward Together" which happens to be the college motto. The Principal arranged attendance of college staff including teachers, Anangu Education Workers, an Anangu youth worker, administration workers and interested community leaders including a representative from the college board of directors
The workshop was held over a Sunday and Monday and worked through three stages of the MindMatters Planning Cycle
1. Where are we now? Or What is the space we are sitting in now? (Anangu term)
2. Where do we want to be? Or at what place will we arrive to later?
3. How will we get there or from this day forward what will we do?
Participants were also given time to think about and share what they want to see for their young people?
Comments from participants about aspects they found particularly useful include the following
o Physical activities were great because you can do those practical things with kids and adults in the community.
o Hearing about other communities and how we have similar problems and how we can work together to sort out similar problems.
o At the start we were all identifying problems but then we quickly moved to talking about what to do about these problems. That was positive for me.
o I was pleased we got 4 young people from Imampa. It was good to hear about diversity of each community even though we are from the same college. The challenge is being able to work and connect together despite 500 kms between our two extremes.
o Keen to get back to my community, sit with my AIEW and see what she would like to run with from the resources. It is a huge positive that the resources are in language.
o Enjoyed seeing how the young Anangu people are working together towards a common goal. They have so much to share with me now. There is a lot that they will be able to help me with in the classroom.
o Having time to talk about things we never get a chance to talk about
o Good to see different ways to work with our mob.
o Good that we are on the same page and all trying to do similar things for our kids
o Learning about the communities and the strengths and skills in the group.
o We were talking about things we appreciate - good to have a different perspective from the outside-.
o I might teach the kids about the activities to the kids at Imampa. It will be good to work on some of those words and internalize and take on board the activities and all the new words in language.
Where to from here?
The group was unanimous in their support for the continued involvement of MindMatters.
Feeling Deadly not Shame 2011 The
Feeling Deadly not Shame workshops have again been implemented in the
North and North / West of New South Wales in 2011. This year, 3 schools
have been targeted to date, including Tamworth McCarthy High School,
Tamworth Westdale Public School and the Tamworth Parry Tutorial School.
The workshops have targeted approximately 58 Aboriginal Students from
the Tamworth zone.
The Feeling Deadly not Shame workshop is an
initiative of MindMatters Australia and is operated in partnership with
members of the Tamworth Yaamanhaa Aboriginal Men's Group, including
Garry Creighton, Robert Bergan, Luke Allan, Chris Hunt, Pete Johnson,
Scott Trindall and Dalliss Ramage. ** Resource id_1270566264303614:Picture_3.png not found in tag {resource id_1270566264303614:Picture_3.png} **
The Feeling Deadly not
Shame Workshops are attempting to impact upon and encourage Aboriginal
Students to stay resilient and strong in Mind, Body & Spirit. They
attempt to reinforce our Aboriginal Students to be proud and strong in
identity and culture; this is achieved by Aboriginal Men from the
Yaamanhaa Aboriginal Men's Group, who not only act as facilitators but
mentors and role models as well. The
Feeling Deadly not Shame workshops have been presented to other
townships in the North & North / West of NSW including, Narrabri
High School, Manilla High School and Boggabilla High School with
favorable responses.
The Feeling Deadly not Shame Workshops have
been redesigned to suit the cultural need of Aboriginal Students in
Armidale in the Northern Table Lands of Northern NSW, and is
progressing well through the support and tireless effort of Ms Megan
Widders. Currently the Feeling Deadly not Shame Workshop is
being work shopped and redesigned to suit the cultural needs of
Aboriginal Student in the township of Tenterfield in the North Eastern
region of NSW with the assistance of Luke Allan, who has spend numerous
hours facilitating workshops and encouraging schools in the Tenterfield
area to include the Feeling Deadly not Shame Workshop as a part of
their educational program for Aboriginal Students.
Garry Creighton 3rd June 2011 For
further information on these and other MindMatters Community
Partnership workshops, contact Robyn Hearl, National Resource Development Officer 08 8245 9816 or at robyn.hearl@pa.edu.au or visit the website
Want to be a MindMatters school? The MindMatters Recognition Process is designed to acknowledge schools and school leaders who are working in focussed and strategic ways to improve student mental health and learning outcomes using the MindMatters framework. In November 2010 sixteen schools were recognised as MindMatters schools. Details of the event and the schools involved are available on the website
Positive Move by Mt Barker College, WA Mt Barker College in WA was the first WA school to be recognised as a MindMatters school and they couldn't be happier with the decision. This extract was taken from Edition 3 May 2011. To read more articles from this publication, you can head here Read article
HAPPINESS & ITS CAUSES 2012 
It will run 1 & 2 March 2012 at Sydney Town Hall, a little earlier in the year than usual.
We are delighted to have Dr Martin Seligman, founder of Positive Psychology and Professor Peter Singer, renowned philosopher and ethicist already confirmed for next year!
Mind & Its Potential
Join world leaders in science, education, psychology, and the arts in exploring these profound questions: How do we learn? How should we teach? How do we overcome adversity and disability? How should we live our lives?
click to read moreEARLY BIRD AND ENDORSING BODY DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE! Book before 29 July and save $200 on the 2 day conference and $320 on the gold pass! PLUS as an endorsing body, Mind Matters members and affiliates are eligible for a further 10% discount on the conference. Simply call (02) 8719 5118 to register. Highlights of this extraordinary conference include: - A star studded faculty: 40 amazing speakers including creativity guru Dr Edward de Bono, inventor of Mind Mapping Tony Buzan and leading UK neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield.
- The inside word on making your brain work for you: World leader in neuroplasticity research and creator of groundbreaking treatments for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Dr Jeffrey M Schwartz, takes us through a step-by-step method to free ourselves from negative thinking.
- An amazing learning experience: Attend in-depth workshops on the art and science of learning with neuroscience of education expert Dr Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and learn how to improve focus and productivity at work with Director of The Potential Project, Rasmus Hougaard.
- Explore your potential for personal development: Learn proven techniques for achieving compassion, joy and equanimity in life with remarkable Buddhist nun Ven Robina Courtin, innovative educator Pam Cayton and positive psychology coach Dr Suzy Green.
- Personal stories of passion and mastery: Enjoy the fascinating conversation between celebrated master chef Matt Moran and Australia's leading concert pianist Simon Tedeschi on what it takes to achieve mastery in life. Be moved by world champion boxer Johnny Famechon's story of living with acquired brain injury.
- Participation of Australia's top thinkers and mental health researchers: Hear from controversial Australian futurist Richard Neville, leading adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and leading mind and brain researcher Professor Ian Hickie on reaching our potential throughout life.
The mind is the latest frontier of human discovery. Find out how our new understanding of the way the brain works is revolutionising approaches to learning, creativity and personal development. www.mindanditspotential.com.au
"Changing Behaviour in Schools"
** Resource id_6068829171047:book_cover.png not found in tag {resource id_6068829171047:book_cover.png} ** Sue Roffey's latest book "Changing Behaviour in Schools" builds upon her previous publications, offering further practical insights into some of the most challenging aspects of teaching. Based on the knowledge that positive relationships with students and school connectedness lead to improved learning and better behaviour for all students, this book aims to show the reader how to promote positive behaviour and wellbeing in their setting. The four chapters cover:
- Being an effective teacher
- Encouraging positive behaviour
- Responding to challenging behaviour
- The role of the whole school
In order to explore these topics "Changing Behaviour in Schools" offers case studies from primary and secondary schools, activities, checklists and suggestions for further reading, making it a clear and highly constructive read for anyone working in or with schools. Sue Roffey works as an educational psychologist, consultant, writer and academic specialising in social, emotional and behavioural issues. She is Adjunct Research Fellow at the University of Western Sydney and Honorary Lecturer at University College, London.
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