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Fact Sheet

MindMatters recognises the need to address the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians. It promotes a whole school approach to develop school environments where young people feel safe, valued, engaged and purposeful. It has successfully placed mental health and wellbeing on the education agenda and provides sound, educationally-based resources to undertake mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention within school structures and curriculum.

Mental health and wellbeing has been linked to young people’s:
•    sense of connectedness to school and academic success
•    social development
•    resilience in the face of adversity
•    capacity to contribute to the workforce and community.

MindMatters initiatives ensure access to:
•    continuous national availability of professional development
•    state and territory-based project officer support
•    online access to resource materials and further information for schools
•    a hard copy of the MindMatters resource kit.

MindMatters case study schools have reported:
•    more support for students
•    increase in safety and bullying policies
•    improved help-seeking by students
•    increased knowledge of mental health by students
•    increased staff awareness
•    increase in job satisfaction for teachers.

Professional Development  

Over 120,000 school-based or school-related participants have attended MindMatters professional development sessions since 2000. Sessions have been attended by:

  • 86.8% of state schools nationally
  • 73.3% of independent schools nationally
  • 88.9% of Catholic schools nationally.

In a random national survey*, ACER found that:

  • 70% of all schools with secondary enrolments use MindMatters
  • 52% of secondary schools use MindMatters as a key resource
  • 18% of schools use MindMatters as a whole school organiser.

The MindMatters Level One Introductory Workshop was

  • rated highly by most participants surveyed nationally**
  • implemented by the majority of participants on returning to school in a way consistent with the professional development.

The MindMatters Level Two Planning Workshop aims to build the percentage of schools using MindMatters as a whole-school organiser.
           
Please register for professional development online.

*The ACER National Survey of Health and Wellbeing Promotion Policies and Practices in Secondary Schools (2006)
**The Hunter Institute of Mental Health MindMatters: An Evaluation of the Professional Development Program and School Implementation Final Report 2005

MindMatters is funded by the Australian Government Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and managed by Principals Australia.