Secondary Schools Program

beyondblue’s secondary school program for years 8–10 aims to equip students with the ability to deal with adverse events through the teaching of ‘life skills’ within a supportive and safe school environment.

The curriculum is a comprehensive, sequentially developed 30-session program based on cognitive behavioural theories. The program is intended to be delivered over three years, with students participating each year in 10 weekly classroom sessions of 30–45 minutes duration. Program delivery is based on principles of best-practice in effective teaching using a range of interactive methods including small-group exercises and discussions, role-plays, deep-learning tasks and quizzes.

The program is built around the development of six senses that act as protective factors against mental health problems:

sense of self-worth
sense of control
sense of belonging
sense of purpose
sense of future
sense of humour.

Education and health personnel are able to freely copy materials for communication between teachers, students, parents/guardians and others. (Materials must not be modified, altered, adapted or copied for use in any profit-making activity.)

This program was developed collaboratively by the University of Queensland, the Victorian Centre for Adolescent Health, the South Australian Department of Education and Children’s Services, and beyondblue. It draws on national and international research and the groundbreaking work conducted with schools in Australia in the past decade.

Researchers are able to access articles and reports relating to the research undertaken in secondary schools.