Students In NSW Will Be Taught About Mental Health In Order To Combat “Culture Of Shame”
Students will be taught how to manage stress and depression, in an attempt to fight the stigma surrounding mental illness.
School children in New South Wales will be taught how to handle stress and depression, as part of an overhaul of the school syllabus designed to help combat the stigma of mental illness.
According to The Sunday Telegraph, changes to the state’s Personal Development, Health and Physical Education curriculum could occur as early as next year, and will affect students from kindergarten up to Year 10.
Under the new system, children in kindergarten and primary school will be taught about the importance of self-belief and positive self-image, as well as strategies for coping with conflict and stress. Older students will tackle misconceptions around mental illness, and learn about the consequences of domestic violence and drug abuse. Classroom discussions about bullying and discrimination will also be encouraged.
“We have traditionally treated mental health problems as they’ve presented,” state education minister Rob Stokes told The Sunday Telegraph. “What we are now trying to achieve is to arm young people with the tools to identify any potential issues before they arise.”
“This new syllabus will teach students about important issues in life that for too many generations have been overlooked by large sections of the community, and that has been a major problem,” he continued. “We are removing the culture of shame that has needlessly been attached to issues like mental health. By removing this stigma, we have the potential to prevent a great deal of suffering”.
The changes come shortly after a survey by Mission Australia found that mental health was the number one concern for young people in Australia aged 15-19.
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Feature image via beyondblue.