St John’s College, Lismore, Leads the Way in Mental Health

In the lead-up to RUOK Day and Mental Health Awareness Month, St John College, Lismore, are prioritising Mental Health training for staff, students, and parents. (14 September 2023)

In the wake of the COVID pandemic and the 2022 Floods, St John’s College, Lismore, has prioritised a whole school approach to the mental health and wellbeing of its community. Building on the already amazing well-being work that was already in at the College, Leader of Pastoral Care Fiona Fennamore was trained as a certified instructor of the Youth Mental Health First Aid Course.

The Youth Mental Health First Aid course equips College staff with the skills to recognise and respond to a student who may be experiencing declining mental health, as well as how to assess and assist with a mental health crisis situation. So far, 33 St John’s staff have completed a two-day training course and have become accredited Youth Mental Health First Aiders, ensuring that the College is a safer and mentally healthier environment.

‘The course really helped me to understand not only what to do if I am concerned about a student’s mental health, but also how the school can be a protective factor for a student’s overall wellbeing,’ said Mental Health First Aider Tayla Tickle. 

Responding to research that indicates that when experiencing mental health problems, adolescents will often turn to their peers for help, the College recognised that the students also needed additional knowledge and skills in how to recognise when they, or their peers, were struggling, and how to get them to the help that they need. This led to the school having three passionate teachers, Jane Farrugia, Peter O’Toole, and Nicole Hetherington, train to become an instructor in the Teen Mental Health First Aid course. This year, every Year 8 and Year 10 student will complete the Teen course. 

In Term 4, with the assistance of the Parent Partnerships Team, St John’s will be offering a Youth Mental Health First Aid course for their College parents. 

‘We really wanted to empower our parents to know what to look out for with mental health and have the confidence to be able to have a helpful conversation with their child,’ said Acting Principal Annette Reen.

Congratulations to the St John’s College staff on their whole school approach to student wellbeing.