Staff wellbeingStaff wellbeingTraining Day for School ChaplainsWorldview College, Launceston

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

AcknowledgemenAcknowledgement to Countryt to Country

We would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of

the land and pay our respects to the Elders past, present and

future, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture

and hopes of Indigenous Australians

Key messagesKey messages1. Work is important for our mental health and

wellbeing

2. Staff and student mental health and wellbeing are connected

3. Staff have a responsibility to participate in the construction of their own and the school’s mental health and wellbeing

4. School can positively affect staff mental health

5. sites have a responsibility to provide safe working environments and this extends to mental health

As part of our time together …As part of our time together …• Commit to as much as you can, opt out if you have to

• Engage in reflection when the opportunity permits

• Think of practical uses for you

• Support colleagues, consider the whole group

• Consider confidentiality of information

• Enjoy yourself

Group agreements

Making connectionsMaking connections

Debrief

3.2 days per worker are lost each year through workplace

stress

Presenteeism and absenteeism are directly costing

employers $10.11 billion per year

Tasmanian initiative focusing

on the State Service

Mental HealthMental Health

An holistic sense of

wellbeing

Emotional and spiritual resilience which enables us to enjoy life and survive pain, disappointment and sadness.

It is a positive sense of wellbeing and an underlying belief in our own and others’ dignity and worth.

Health Education Authority, 1998 England

In the workplace, if everyone In the workplace, if everyone had good mental healthhad good mental health

Look like?Sound like?Feel like?

Define

Mentally unwell Mentally well

web link

MindMatters professional learningMindMatters professional learning

Is … … Is not … …

• Mental health promotion

• A diagnostic or clinical service

Systems have support services for employees experiencing high levels of stress or mental health

issues

In the big picture … why is it In the big picture … why is it

important?important?

• Working in schools involves an investment in emotional labour

• Staff and student mental health are connected

• Functional adults are good role models

• A teacher’s feelings of confidence and self-efficacy impact on student learning

• Positive relationships lead to enjoyment of work and performing well

web link

www.mindmatters.edu.au/default.asp

The nature of our work, satisfaction,

performance, knowledge

Systems, structures and

policies to support staff and students

Connections to the workplace, sense of belonging and

inclusion

Personal values and beliefs, sense

of self

The thriving selfThe thriving selfHappinessOptimism

Flow

1. Talk about a happy person you knowo What sort of beliefs do they

appear to have about the world

2. What surprises us?o What surprised or delighted you

in the last week?

3. What are you curious about?o Know about, how to do, how it

feels, what happens

The Thriving Self is

at the centre of the

Staff Matters model

and focuses on the

importance of

clarifying individual

values and beliefs

about mental health

and wellbeing and

how these values and

beliefs interact at

work. This may

enable us to

understand why we

react the way we do

and provide ideas on

how to change or

adapt our behaviour.

Intentional activity

40%

Life

circum

stances

10%

Lyubomirsky, 2007

OptimismOptimism Learned Optimism, Martin Seligmanhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FBxfd7DL3E

are healthier

live longer

have better relationships

do better in school, sports, and most jobs

and anyone can learn to be more optimistic (regardless of your natural ‘set point’ level of optimism)

Authentic Happiness

FlowFlow When was the last time you experienced a huge amount of energy and didn’t realise time was passing? (snowball)

Flow more likely to happen in the workplace than

anywhere else(Scenarios)

Skil

l le

vel

Level of challenge

FLOW

FLOW

Anxiety

Boredom To enjoy work or learning (to be in flow) requires a balance

between our levels of challenge and skill.

The interpersonal The interpersonal domaindomain

CollegialityRisk and protective factors

Trust Emotions

What do you value from colleagues in the way they operate?

What is something positive you have learned from a colleague at work?

What are some things in the workplace that you find supportive?

The Interpersonal

domain recognises

the influence of our

relationship with

others in the

workplace and our

enjoyment and

performance at work.

This domain

considers the power

of the collegiate and

social aspects of a

workplace. Building

our skills for

interpersonal

connections in the

workplace lessens

stress and positively

influences mental

health and wellbeing.

Debrief

Risk and protective factorsRisk and protective factors Protective factors Risk factors

Personal factors Job satisfaction Personal fulfilment Ongoing professional

development Problem focused coping

style

Social exclusion or isolation

Lack of training Feelings of helplessness

Organisational factors Empathy and warmth Support from other staff

members Culture of help-seeking Opportunities to

demonstrate worth and talent

High workload Low support Staff shortages Role conflict Lack of control over

workload Lack of recognition Poor communication

Work factors Mentoring Change High need students Demanding work

How we think, how we talkHow we think, how we talk

• Yes but, yes and

Collegiality Collegiality Friends of Enemies of• Joint work• Socialising• Communication• Protocols• Shared beliefs• Being involved• Acknowledgement• Brag sessions• Physical challenges

• Blame game• Race for the high

moral ground• Victimhood• Them and us• That’s my …• Let’s keep the status

quo• Cliques• Famous five

Debrief

What I know for sureWhat I know for sureWhat is your absolute best health and wellbeing tip that you use yourself ? (for sustaining working in education)

Explain your tip to your neighbour

Young people we teach… …Young people we teach… …

Do you know Do you know whatwhat to to teach me?teach me?

Do you know my community?

Do you know how to engage me?

Do you know how to engage me?

Do you know my strengths?

Do you know what I need to learn?

Are you preparing me to live in my world?

Do you really know me?

On top of this, what are their mental health needs and what can schools do to promote their mental health?

National Child Mental Health Survey (Sawyer et al., 2000)

However, only 1 in 4 primary school children with mental health difficulties receive help

Why have mental health initiatives in Why have mental health initiatives in

schools?schools?

By adulthood 1 in 5 Australians will have experienced a mental illness

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007). National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results

web link

Tuesday, 18 April 2023Master of Teaching, University of Tasmania

MindMatters professional learningMindMatters professional learning

Based on the World Health Organisation’s Health Promoting Schools Framework (1994)

Tuesday, 18 April 2023ACHPER Tasmania State Conference

The four components of KidsMatter PrimaryThe four components of KidsMatter Primary

Component 2

Social and emotional learning (SEL) for all

students

Component 4

Early intervention for students experiencing

mental health difficulties

I used to think …

But now I think

…Visible thinking – thinking routines