This professional development program, accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), is designed specifically to meet the needs of NSW public schools.

Through the training you will learn about:

Theory

• mental health ‘continuum’, risk factors and protective factors, and how mental health is influenced by a child or young person’s development and key transition points
• relationship between students’ mental health and their learning outcomes.

Practical

• a simple model of practical skills for recognising student mental health needs (‘see’) and responding to, and supporting, all students (‘say, ‘do’)
• self-care and wellbeing strategies to support your own mental health

Knowledge

• where, and when, to refer students for other available supports
• other professional learning available to further develop your knowledge and skills in this area.

Cost and training

This is a FREE program for NSW Department of Education staff.

Supporting our Students’ Mental Health consists of two, 90-minute modules, run on the same day or up to one week apart.

The training is delivered by 2 trained facilitators, either:

• online (e.g. Teams or Zoom) to groups of up to 24 participants
• in-person (where local facilitators are available) to groups of up to 60 participants.

For larger cohorts, multiple sessions can be run consecutively or concurrently.

Schools are encouraged to involve as many of their staff as possible and undertake the training as a whole school cohort. The aim is to promote and embed whole-school practices that enhance student wellbeing outcomes. This means it is also intended for student support officers, school counselling service and other wellbeing team staff, even if they are already participated in training in student mental health.

This DoE quality assured professional learning is accredited in the NESA priority area of student/child mental health and aligned with Australian Professional Teaching Standards 4.1.2 and 4.4.2

Registration and enquiries

NSW Department of Education staff can:

• request training for your school using the Training Request Form
  
• see further information about the training via MyPL
• or contact Student Health and Mental Wellbeing for more information at SoSMH@det.nsw.edu.au

Interested in becoming a Facilitator?

Staff who are school-based, or provide direct support to schools, and have interest and experience in supporting schools to enhance student mental health and wellbeing are strongly encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will be invited to attend in person facilitator training in the face to face delivery of the professional learning.

The full day facilitator training will involve completing the Supporting our Students’ Mental Health professional learning modules as a participant, learning about the delivery and technologies, and a brief written and verbal task for successful completion of the training.

Once you have completed the facilitator training, you will be expected to:

· Present the 2 x 90 minute Supporting our Students’ Mental Health modules, at least twice each year

· Provide support to staff to embed evidence-informed practice in supporting student mental health at their school

· Support participants during the delivery of sensitive content

Facilitator training opportunities will be listed on this website in the future. If you would like to submit an EOI you can do so below and you will be contacted to advise of the outcome, if successful, you will be contacted when future training opportunities arise.

How to apply

Please submit an application, via Microsoft Forms, which includes uploading the completed Expression of interest.