At Kimberley College, R U OK? Day on the 14 September kicked off with a sea of yellow and black as students arrived at school dressed in the event colours and made a gold coin donation to this worthwhile charity and national day of action.
Throughout the day, students participated in dedicated lessons and activities organised by teaching staff to support the key messages of encouraging people to stay connected and to have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives. The day is more than just a chance to dress up and not wear school uniform.
At Kimberley College, the college wanted the students to understand and engage with the key messages and to be able to take away useful strategies, be better equipped, appropriate to their age group, to cope with mental health challenges.
At Kimberley College, health and wellbeing is embedded in the college values and is a fundamental element of the college’s pastoral care model which is focused on creating a mentally healthy environment for students to feel safe and secure to learn, play and grow.
According to the Black Dog Institute, 75% of mental health problems emerging before the age of 25 and one in seven young people aged 4 to 17 years’ experience a mental health condition in any given year. The time at school is critical in delivering prevention and intervention strategies to develop resilient and mentally healthy adults.
With plenty of larger-than-life size games on the green, the middle school students (years 7 – 9) made delicious breakfast pancakes with honey from the college hives for their peers. Primary school students spent the morning having fun and learning a dance as exercise and sport is a terrific way to make you feel better. Other activities included the students painting worry rocks and an extra special visit by the therapy dogs from Empower Assistance Dogs to each classroom to spread some joy and positive vibes.
Even the smallest students from Prep and years 1 & 2 got behind the day with cupcakes and decorated leaves with special messages for their tree installation in their playground. While senior students were undertaking exams on the day, they were catered for with a special dedicated Senior Study Chill Out Zone. It was a space where the students could relax, refresh, reset in between exams and it was stocked with essentials like fruit, chocolate, and crackers to see them through and hopefully alleviate some of those exam nerves and stress.
It was a day, jam packed with engaging activities to support lessons that focused on the key messages of R U OK? Day, and the importance of staying connected and relationships and that by asking one simple question, R U OK? , it can really change a life.
