THE RESILIENCE PROJECT – ‘GEM’

Our secondary students are engaging in The Resilience Project curriculum labeled ‘GEM’ this year. This curriculum provides practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to build resilience and happiness in the lives of our staff and students. Students have these resources embedded into their student diaries in the day to day entries but also at the back of their diaries to be used in their extended form classes. Our wonderful form teachers will be facilitating this content with students over the course of the year.

GEM stands for Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness. We hope to teach students easy ways to practice these in everyday life. The program also incorporates Emotional Literacy, Connection, and Physical Health education and activities as they are foundational contributors to positive mental health.

The college believes that a program like GEM is essential in our teaching and developing of young people and being proactive in giving them the skills to weather the storms and stresses of life.

Why Spend Time Working on Our Mental Health?

  • 1 in 4 adolescents have a mental illness
  • 1 in 7 primary schools kids have a mental illness
  • 1 in 5 adults will experience mental ill-health throughout the year
  • 65% of adolescents do not seek help for mental illness

It is becoming increasingly obvious how many young people in our community and nation struggle with mental illness and any effort to empower young people to be mentally stable, resilient, and flourishing is to be captured.

I would encourage you to start a conversation about GEM or mental health with your children at home, check out the website (theresilienceproject.com.au) or even complete the activities found in the student diary as a family.