A ground-breaking mental health first aid course has been rolled out to 100 students at Lyndale Secondary College.
The course gave practical skills to Year 10 students to help their classmates, including to detect the early signs that their peers are struggling.
Some of the early signs include changes in behaviour and attitude, such as becoming less interested in their hobbies.
“Research shows young people are more likely to tell their peers things are not OK than an adult,” course trainer Pauline Neil of MH Training said.
“So it makes sense to arm the peers with this type of information.”
Rotary Club of Dandenong and Endeavour Hills as well as the Rotary district funded and initiated the project. It’s believed to be the first time the course has been rolled out to a Victorian government school’s year level en masse.
The next step is an intensive course for teachers and staff at the school.
“It’s not about students solving their friend’s troubles themselves or offering therapy, but moving it to a trusted, responsible adult,” Ms Neil said.
Regardless of age, current world events and social media are challenging mental wellbeing, she says.
“Imagine being 14 and watching the news, what are you taking away from that … when you’re just working out where you’re sitting in life, who you are, what you believe in.
“But there’s also amazing stories to be told and light to be shone.”
One of the participants David Popescu says the course has already helped students to seek support and to talk about any problems.
The group was taught how to approach peers with care and empathy, and to have supportive, non-judgemental conversations around mental health.
A key part of the course was reducing stigma – to encourage students “not keep emotions to yourself and to seek out someone you know and trust”, David says.
They’re also drilled in how to respond to a crisis, such as when a friend is at risk of harm.
Student Nargas Mohammad says the course underlines the importance of mental health.
“Our mental health matters. It affects everyone around us.”
After the course’s success, Rotary Club of Dandenong and Endeavour Hills youth chair Leanne Byron said she hoped to roll it out to other schools.
