KIDS MATTER AND WHOLE SCHOOL WELLNESS

Burdekin Christian College is implementing three programs that it believes will help its students and staff with their well being. These programs are Kids Matter Early Childhood, Kids Matter Primary and Whole School Wellness. Kids Matter is for students and Whole School Wellness is for staff.

Burdekin Christian College Early Learning Child Care Centre is one of around 100 Pre-schools and Early Childhood Centres in Australia piloting Kids Matter Early Childhood. Kids Matter Primary and Whole School Wellness are being piloted in a number of Independent Schools in Queensland.

Kids Matter concerns student's mental health. Mental health is about social, emotional and behavioural well being of students. Students with good mental health, through positive interactions with others are able to experience, manage and express emotions, form close, satisfying relation ships and explore and discover the environment around them.

Kids Matter has four components.

1. Creating a sense of community. This promotes feelings of belonging and connection  for all children, families and staff.

2. Developing children's social and emotional skills. These skills include managing themselves, relating to others, resoling conflict and feeling positive about themselves and the world around them.

3. Working with parents and cares. The College is able to link parents and carers  with appropriate information and education about parenting, child development and children's mental health.

4. Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties. The College  is able to identify when students are experiencing difficulties, implement simple strategies to assist children and to support families to seek additional help.

Maree Kirkwood, the Queensland Coordinator fro Kids Matter Early Childhood has trained staff of the Early Learning Child Care Centre in all four components. Staff have developed and implemented an action plan for each component.

Some staff members were trained to train oterh staff in the four components of Kids Matter Primary. The College has purchases the program Bounce Back. Teachers are implementing this program. The program has a series of lessons and resources on mental health,

Whole school wellness is a program for staff. Wellness is a continuous, active process. It is the process of becoming aware of the different areas of staff life, identifying areas that need improvement and then making choices that will help staff reach a higher level of health and well being.

The College is implementing a six dimensional wellness.

1. Social. This dimension encourages staff to contribute to the College's human and physical environment to the common welfare of the College's community .
2. Occupational. This dimension involves staff gaining personal satisfaction and finding enrichment in their life through work.
3. Spiritual.  This dimension seeks meaning and purpose in life.
4. Physical. This dimension encourages cardiovascular flexibility and  strength and also encourages regular, physical exercise.
5. Intellectual.  This dimension encourages creative, stimulating mental activities.
6. Emotional. This dimension emphasises an awareness and acceptance of one's feelings.

Some staff members attended a two days whole school wellness workshop. Other staff members at staff meetings over the next few months will be doing activities in each of the six components.

The College believes, through the Kids Matter and whole school wellness programs, that there will be an improvement in the well being of its students and staff.