Earlier this term, the Hauora Council held the annual Mental Health Awareness Week to help boost the overall well-being of our school. This year’s theme was ‘5 Ways to Well-being’; Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.
We began Mental Health Awareness Week on Monday 9 October with the theme of ‘Take Notice’, where we set up a gratitude board. Throughout the week, we had a good number of responses from students, with many positive messages written. Expressing gratitude and mindfulness can be a significant factor in improving our mental well-being.
Clothes Drive was another week-long activity we held in celebration of the way of ‘Give,’ where we encouraged parents, students, and teachers to donate any unwanted clothes. This was a massive success, and all the clothes received were given to Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organisation that focuses on the living standards of low-income families. We were very pleased to get the community involved to support a great cause.
A fun Kōrero Card-inspired activity during the Whānau assembly saw students sharing their thoughts and knowing more about each other. This allowed students and teachers to ‘Connect’, which was valued especially after the two-week holiday break.
On Wednesday, we focused on the theme of ‘Be Active.’ Through opening the sporting facilities, we organised different sports, including volleyball in the gymnasium, basketball in the courts, and futsal in the astroturf. Physical activities are associated with lower rates of stress and anxiety, and we were delighted to see many students taking part and having fun at lunchtime.
Lastly, Friday emphasised on ‘Keep Learning.’ We invited Ellie Bambery, an author and youth mentor, to speak about mental health issues that we may encounter, and how to overcome them. Touching on friendships, self-identity and more, the topics discussed were highly relevant to us, and those who attended thoroughly enjoyed Ellie’s speech.
Overall, this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week was hugely successful in promoting the importance of mental health. It was great to see everyone getting involved in the activities, and regardless on the level of participation, the school was able to benefit in diverse ways. Thank you to Miss H Peterson and Mrs S Leidh TIC Hauora Council, as well as all members involved in making the week impactful for everyone.
~ Risha Prasad 13S10 and Timothy Chan 13K12