During 2019, the Fast Track Inclusion Trust was supported by the Lee Reynolds Trust to explore how to seed wellbeing practices with young children:
The Fast Track Inclusion (FTI) Trust is committed to
extending young people’s options for education beyond mainstream options. FTI is inspired by the 2016 United Nations universal
call to action to increase human flourishing, end poverty, protect the planet
and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The UN described 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) to grow resilient communities in a sustainable
environment. Nestled within this inspirational future for humanity is
children’s right to flourish and be happy.
The Mindfulness Journal Project enabled young
people to gain an understanding as to how to
increase self-care as they raise their awareness about the connection between
our environment and our wellbeing, through work on these Sustainable
Development Goals. Specifically, the project sought to extend options for education beyond mainstreams
options in the following ways:
- The Mindfulness Journals Project provides an
interdisciplinary approach to learning about mindfulness and sustainability by
inspiring concrete actions that address the goals. The Journals provide an educational framework that does not currently
exist in schools. Educators who have piloted this project with students are
excited at the impact it has had throughout this little rural school. The
program has expanded the students' understanding of sustainability and inspired
them to make actionable plans. This awareness and training in holistic and
'big-picture' thinking is valuable in forming well-rounded and thoughtful
students who know about self-care and about being stewards of the Earth.
Further, the contents addressed in this program include poverty and sustainable
cities and communities-- as well as an environmental focus that supports the former.
- There are alarming concerns about the wellbeing of New
Zealand school-children with widespread increases in their anxiety levels and
stress-related challenges. In 2013 Rebecca Appelhof conducted a comprehensive
synthesis of the research examining the effectiveness of school-based
programmes aimed at preventing suicide and building psychological resilience
among school-aged children aged 4-18, for the purpose of implementing such
approaches in the New Zealand context. Her review concluded that teachers
encouraging mindfulness practices in schools has wide-ranging effects, from
increases in working memory to lessening depressive symptoms, anxiety and mind
wandering. These elements are core to helping children cope with the increased
levels of stress that lead to the increase of anxiety that culminate in our
elevated children and teen suicide rates.
We met the operational costs of this project and worked to further develop this educational resource to make it available
to more schools and students. This program added value to the existing
curriculum and activities teachers have in their schools by extending
their teaching to incorporate their students’ wellbeing and flourishing.
The Fast Track Inclusion Trust worked with a whole rural primary school with students (ages 5 to 10) and all its teachers. Furthermore, the wider community became involved as the
children share their learning and personal action plans, involving more people in the steps they decide to take towards their goals. This included the students' whanau and the wider communities they live in.
The journals were developed in collaboration with a young professional award winning artist, who lives with Autism
and Epilepsy. He wove together environmental topics and disability awareness,
so that the Mindfulness Journals would also be accessible to students on the
Autistic Spectrum.
Outcomes
1. Raised awareness about the Sustainable Development
Goals, why they are important and how we can work towards them both
individually and as a collective.
2. Inspired students (including students on the
Autistic Spectrum) to take an interdisciplinary approach to understand the
goals and propose actions that address them.
3. Raised wellbeing levels of the students through
their strengthening their relationship with nature.
Reference:
Appelhoff, R. (2013). School-based programmes to prevent suicide and build
resilience among students: a literature review and national stocktake.
Canterbury District Health Board.
Last thoughts:
Every year, millions of people deal with mental illness, but less that half of them seek assistance. Help a friend surmount the stigma and find help.
