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This month marks an important moment, with the launch of the first national framework to support Australian educators and learning communities to grow the most mentally healthy generation. The framework is called Be You and headspace is proud to have worked on this national initiative with Beyond Blue and Early Childhood Australia.
Be You is an initiative empowering current and future Australian educators and learning communities, from early learning to primary and secondary school, to enhance mental health literacy across Australia. It’s an online initiative – backed by trained support staff on the ground – that provides early learning services and schools with a roadmap, building blocks, professional development and support to foster a mentally healthy learning community. It’s designed with, and for, busy educators and it’s free.
Be You builds on the best evidence and initiatives to promote social and emotional wellbeing for children and young people to create a national framework available to every learning community - no matter where educators live.
Statistics show:
- Almost one in seven, or over half a million, young people in Australia experience a mental health condition every year.
- Up to 10% of young people aged 14 to 15 years self-harm, and up to 5% attempt suicide each year.
The self-harm and suicide statistics amongst young people are particularly alarming.
headspace is committed to reducing these numbers and know that help-seeking and early intervention is a proven pathway to suicide prevention. When support is accessed in the early stages of distress or suicidal thinking, young people are best placed to recover quickly, and learn lifelong coping strategies. We know that with the right support, young people can get things back on track.
Research shows suicide risk in schools is an increasing concern and no school is immune. This indicates that we need to continue to work with educators to build mental health literacy and have the skills to identify and respond to risk when they see it.
It is critical that schools engage with, Be You, as this new framework and program has a suicide post-vention service to support Australian secondary schools.
Whether educators are starting their journey or bolstering their skills, Be You has the tools and services to help them make a difference in youth mental health across Australia.
Educators can head to www.beyou.edu.au to start taking action within their learning community today.