Whole School Matters draft manuscript
Community Matters draft manuscript
Getting Started on The Whole School Approach
MindMatters Recognition and Overview
MindMatters Planning Tools
School Audits and Surveys
Curriculum Links
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
Community Partnerships
Whole Student Approach
Student Empowerment
School Stories

Understanding Mental Illness links to Respect

Activities & Sessions

Possible Outcomes 

Understanding mental illnesses 

Exploring understandings of mental health/illness - page 17

Introducing the Understanding Mental Illness unit - page 18

Language brainstorm - page 18

Understanding what we mean by mental illness - page 19

Mental illness - the facts (handout) - pages 20-22

Learning the language of mental illness (worksheet) - pages 23-24

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.

Experiences of mental illness 

Video Understanding Mental Illness - group discussion of section 1 - page 26

Homework - reading information sheets - page 28

Video discussion sheet - page 29

Eating disorders (information) - pages 30-32

Depression (information) - pages 33-35

Anxiety disorders (information) - pages 36-38

Bipolar mood disorder (information) - pages 39-41

Schizophrenia (information) - pages 42-44

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.

Mental illnesses – the same but different 

Specialist groups - recording information about specific illnesses - pages 45-46

Sharing the pieces or follow up quiz - page 46

Answers for quiz - page 47

Understanding anxiety disorders (record sheet) - page 48

Understanding depression (record sheet) - page 49

Understanding schizophrenia (record sheet) - page 50

Understanding eating disorders (record sheet) - page 51

Understanding bipolar mood disorder or manic depression (record sheet) - page 52

Mental illness. How much do you understand?

Quiz (worksheet) - page 53

Community attitude survey (template) - page 55

Survey record sheet - page 56

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.

Changing people’s minds & attitudes 

Survey collation - pages 57-59

Video - changing people’s attitudes - pages 59-61

Script your own advertisement - pages 61-62

Exploring attitudes - page 62

The kindness of strangers (handout) - page 63

Key communication messages (handout) - page 64

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.

Labels are for jars 

Labels - pages 65-67

Option A if the shoe fits - pages 65-66

Option B labelling jars not people - page 66

Fact, fear, furphy or fiction - a summary quiz - page 67

Creative writing - uses ‘A thesaurus of madness’ - page 68

Newsletter - page 68

Labels (worksheet) - page 69

Jam-jars (worksheet) - page 70

Fact, fear, furphy or fiction (worksheet) - pages 71-72

A thesaurus of madness (handout) - page 73

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.

Seeking help, finding support 

Identifying the need for support - page 75

Local services - page 75

Care of the seriously mentally ill in Australia - page 76

Something is not quite right - getting help early for mental illness (handout) - pages 77-78

Scenario cards (handouts) - pages 79-82 - 8 scenarios provided

Care of the seriously mentally ill in Australia (handout) - pages 83-86

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.

Taking actions, creating options 

Getting help - pages 87-88

Sample questions - page 88

Actions & reactions - page 89

Discussion - options for help seeking - page 89

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.

Face to face 

Guest speaker - page 90

Reflecting upon the new information - page 91

Selected video - personal experiences of mental illness - page 91

Sample questions - considering prior and current beliefs and understandings - page 91

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.

Resource list 

Resource list - websites, videos & brochures - page 92

3.1 Compassion and care:

Each person has a right to receive care and compassion and have a life of dignity, free from harassment and discrimination.

3.2 Equality: 

Each person has equal worth and basic rights, regardless of differences in race, gender, age, ability, religious belief, political affiliation, national origin, citizenship, regional location, or economic or household status.

3.3 Respect: 

Each person should respect those of different opinion, temperament or background.

3.4 Open learning environment: 

Each person has the right to a friendly learning environment free of coercive or indoctrinative elements, whether in the explicit or implicit curriculum.

3.5 Individual differences: 

Each person differs in his or her readiness and ability to learn and has the right to be given access to available knowledge at a level appropriate to his or her developmental needs and interests.

3.6 Cooperation/Conflict resolution: 

Each person should strive to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict peacefully while respecting differences and valuing the other person.

3.7 Family/home environment: 

Each person should recognise the importance of a secure and caring family/home environment.