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
Community Partnerships
Whole Student Approach
Student Empowerment
Student Empowerment Focus Module
Youth Empowerment Process
Seven steps to Youth Empowerment
YEP Leaders Reflections
YEP School Stories
MindMatters Youth Congress
School Stories

YEP Leaders Reflections

My involvement with the MindMatters Youth Empowerment Process began when I was in Grade 11 at my high school in Queensland. Two South Australian presenters conducted a Youth Empowerment Process Workshop. I was very impressed and wanted to take the process further by becoming a YEP presenter. With the help and support of the Careers Officer and the Deputy Principal, I and four other peer support leaders joined the MindMatters team of facilitators.

The aim of MindMatters is to promote mental health and wellbeing. It uses a whole school approach to implement the Youth Empowerment Process in schools. It is vital that young people have a voice and YEP encourages student participation in mental health promotion.

The peer support leader role offers leadership and support to younger students. It gave me experience with public speaking and the activities I learnt were very useful for my peer support sessions. I conducted workshops and activities for the Grade 9 students. As a facilitator for MindMatters, I learnt to respect diversity and embrace equity when interacting with other people. I took part in a MindMatters workshop at my school. This was a challenging, but rewarding experience.

After completing secondary schooling, I was overwhelmed with excitement to be then offered a position as a presenter with Principals Australia. The last 12 months with MindMatters has been a wonderful learning experience. I feel immense satisfaction when working as a MindMatters Youth Empowerment presenter. The experience has directly contributed to my personal development. I am proud to be involved with MindMatters Youth Empowerment Process.

I am undertaking a Bachelor of Education (special education) degree. I have an interest in mental health and one day hope to be a Guidance Officer or Counsellor after teaching.

Gemma Frampton