Staff Writer

About Generation Next

Generation Next is a social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people.

Here’s how you can help your kids have a strong relationship when they’re older

Among all the other demands of life, it's easy to forget that strong family bonds don't just happen. Hard work and planning go into families that even get along, to say nothing of being friends. With the right forethought and support, however, it's entirely possible to ensure that siblings are friends both as children and [...]

By |2019-08-19T12:13:18+10:00August 12th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Ooshies – a cautionary toy story about cashing in on childhood innocence

Ooshies, the plastic collectible toys Australian supermarket chain Woolworths is using to lure shoppers to its aisles, aren’t just a bit of fun. They’ve been connected to a black market among Woolworths staff, frenzied online trading replete with death threats, chaotic crowds and and feral behaviour at supermarket swap days, and a shocking decapitation live [...]

Can experts determine who might be a mass killer? 3 questions answered

Editor’s Note: After mass shootings, people naturally search for answers. We also want to find the root cause. One subject that often arises is mental illness. People, and politicians, raise questions about “red flags,” or warning signs a person might commit a violent act, and whether someone could have intervened to stop a mass murderer. [...]

How to support young people through parental separation

One-in-four Aussie kids will experience parental separation, and they can be assisted by the adults in their lives to navigate this intensely emotional journey more smoothly, according to grief expert Fiona McCallum. Change and loss is a part of life, and when children and young people are taught skills to help them adapt to change [...]

By |2019-11-25T16:25:45+11:00August 12th, 2019|Categories: Grief|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

When talking is daunting: tips from a psychologist

As a clinical psychologist formerly working in psychiatric crisis teams, Andrew Fuller has had more than his share of conversations with troubled young people. Nevertheless, he’s aware that most of these conversations don’t start with a mental health professional. So regardless of how ill-equipped you feel to have these conversations, when a young person comes [...]

Group punishment doesn’t fix behaviour – it just makes kids hate school

Classroom management is consistently seen as a source of stress for beginning teachers. It’s also one of the main reasons cited for teachers leaving the profession. So, it’s no surprise teachers try to use classroom management strategies that appear to be effective at changing problematic student behaviour. Group, or collective, punishment is one such approach. [...]

By |2019-08-05T16:50:36+10:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Education, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Help for childhood insomnia

As the day ends and evening begins, some parents are getting ready for a serious task. Not because they are preparing for a late shift at work, but because they are about to confront the battle of their children’s bedtime. And we’re not talking about infants or toddlers. These are school-aged children who suffer from [...]

By |2021-03-03T18:04:12+11:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Sleep|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Monotasking: A crucial skill for connected kids

When it comes to excessive device use, there’s nothing wrong with young people – they’re just the first generation ever to grow up with unprecedented access to technology that's been specifically designed to exploit weaknesses in human psychology, says digital wellbeing and learning researcher and educator Dr Kristy Goodwin. According to Dr Goodwin, who spoke [...]

By |2021-02-25T15:24:57+11:00July 29th, 2019|Categories: Technology|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Dissociative disorders are nearly as common as depression. Why haven’t we heard about them?

Dissociative disorders are often said to be rare. But our soon-to-be published analysis of international studies suggest they affect 10-11% of the population at some point in their lives. This makes them nearly as common as mood disorders (such as clinical depression). So what are dissociative disorders, why is diagnosis controversial and how can people [...]

By |2019-07-29T14:43:14+10:00July 29th, 2019|Categories: Trauma|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Tree cover a ‘superfood’ for community mental health?

Increasing tree canopy and green cover across Greater Sydney and increasing the proportion of homes in urban areas within 10 minutes’ walk of quality green, open and public space are among the New South Wales premier’s new priorities. Cities around Australia have similar goals. In our latest study, we asked if more of any green [...]

By |2019-07-29T14:43:15+10:00July 29th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , |0 Comments
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