A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Most teachers would give anything for a few quiet minutes in the classroom, but one teacher on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE Facebook group is facing a different problem this year. “I have a little girl who spoke maybe four words all last year while in kindergarten and now that she’s in first grade is not yet [...]
Our lives can easily fill up with, well … life. When everything on our to-do lists feels both urgent and important, pleasure reading can seem a luxury. For many children and teens, as their lives get busier with new obligations and increasing distractions, the idea of curling up with a book can appear to be [...]
A recent survey1 of 2000 working parents showed that mental health and wellbeing issues experienced by their children is a major cause of absenteeism. Stress, anxiety, depression, bullying and school issues are major factors for which these children need parental support. Similarly, a study by The Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI)2 showed that 76% of employee [...]
The transition from Year 11 to Year 12 can be challenging. The workload increases, expectations change and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. While some students find they are well prepared for the transition, other students can find it much more difficult. No matter how one finds the transition, looking back in hindsight, all students realise [...]
I started teaching in 2009. At that time, public school was very much the way I remembered it. That’s not the case anymore. Smartphones and social media have transformed students into creatures craving one thing: content. It’s a sad state of affairs. But there’s hope. Over the last few years, my students have become increasingly [...]
Hate speech is all over the internet. Fueled by trolls, extremists, false information, and a group mentality, this kind of cruelty against a religion, ethnicity, sexual identity, gender, race -- or anything, really -- has reached a fever pitch. And while some kids will be attacked, and some may be swept up in the powerful [...]
Dozens of WA school students have been convicted or accused of sex offences and need to be monitored under risk assessment management plans, Education Minister Sue Ellery has revealed. She told a hearing at State Parliament last week there were 72 students under RAMPs. “The department has been notified about 72 cases where students are [...]
-Jessamy Henricksen, CQUniversity Australia and Dr Marika Guggisberg, CQUniversity Australia It’s common practice in the world of gaming for serious video game players to upload videos of their gaming experiences to YouTube, usually for purposes of providing tips to other gamers, walkthroughs and highlights. Last month, the YouTube channel “Shirrako” uploaded a video capture of [...]
Myra Hamilton, UNSW The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) began a full national rollout in July 2016 with a fundamental objective to give those with a disability choice and control over their daily lives. Participants can use funds to purchase services that reflect their lifestyle and aspirations. Two years on, how is the scheme faring? [...]
When children are chronically anxious, even the most well-meaning parents can utter words that exacerbate, instead of alleviate, anxious feelings. Non-anxious parents have the benefit of time, wisdom, and reasoning on their sides, and this can lead to statements that unknowingly dismiss the child’s anxious feelings. It can be very difficult to watch a child [...]
