By Jessica Anstice
St Francis Xavier College has become the latest school to benefit from a mindfulness program that aims to improve the long-term mental health of students.
The school has been selected by not-for-profit education and mindfulness organisation Smiling Mind to be the latest beneficiary of an opportunity that offers the mindfulness program to Australian schools for free.
The offer has been made possible by a three-year charitable partnership between Smiling Mind and Frasers Property Australia.
“We are really excited to start working with the St Francis Xavier College community and help give these children the tools they will need to build preventative mental health approaches for their future,” Smiling Mind CEO Addie Wootten said.
“With one in four secondary students and one in seven primary students suffering from a diagnosed mental illness each year, it’s vital that we, as a community, do everything we can to take a proactive approach to preventing this health issue into the future.”
Mr Wootten said some of the benefits of introducing mindfulness into schools can include:
• Managing stress
• Developing emotional intelligence
• Enhancing creativity
• Enhancing decision making and problem-solving skills
• A sense of calm, clarity and contentment
