VIEWS & OPINION Take 10 Together at school – starting
the conversation Comment by POPPY JAMAN, co-founder and chief executive of Mental Health First Aid England
We believe talking about mental health can help you and those around you to be happier and healthier. This World Mental Health Day, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England is calling on schools to ‘Take 10 Together’ – for staff members to have a meaningful 10 minute conversation with a student about their mental health. Mental health and emotional issues often
develop during adolescence. Social media peer pressure, cyberbullying, family units breaking down and an increased number of children in the care system have all been suggested as contributing factors to the rise in mental health issues in younger people. Schools have the opportunity to take an active role in guiding a young person towards the appropriate support, with a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing being the priority. Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches people
the skills and confidence to recognise the signs and symptoms of common mental health issues and effectively guide a young person towards the right support. Having a 10 minute chat is the first step on that journey. We don’t often talk about our mental health
so it might seem a little daunting to start a conversation about it but it’s important to
remember you don’t have to be an expert. Giving a young person the opportunity to open up and have a conversation about their mental health can play a vital role in reassuring them that help is available and then signposting them to appropriate support.
Creating a safe space Give yourself plenty of time so you don’t appear to be in a hurry - 10 minutes may be enough but if you need longer then go ahead. Choosing a neutral space to meet outside the classroom might feel less intimidating and it’s important to use a quiet and comfortable room.
How to ask the questions • Keep your body language open and non- confrontational
• Be empathetic and take them seriously • Keep the chat positive and supportive, exploring the issues and how you may be able to help
Useful questions to ask • "How are you feeling at the moment?" • “How long have you felt like this – is it an ongoing issue?”
• “Who do you feel you can go to for support?"
• “Are there any factors outside the classroom which are contributing to how you are feeling?”
How to listen • Give the student your full focus and listen without interrupting
• Listen to their words, tone of voice and body language - all will give clues to how they are feeling
What happens next? Once you’ve started the conversation, make sure you keep it going - follow up with the person and ask them how they are doing. Reassure them that your door is always open, and really mean it. Give reassurance that there are lots of sources
of support and some of these might be available via through a school counselling service, by visiting their GP or talking to the school nurse. Also ask if they have spoken to their parent/carer as this could be a vital source of support for a young person.
u
http://mhfaengland.org/first-aid- courses/first-aid-youth/
Designing the skills we need for the future Comment by JOANNE HARPER, Principal, UTC Reading
The education sector is still digesting the contents of the Sainsbury’s Report published this summer. It outlines what needs to be done to improve the quality of technical education in England and, in particular, how to simplify the currently over- complex system, whilst outlining how to ensure the new system provides the skills most needed for the future. The Sainsbury’s Report is an Independent Panel on Technical Education, established by the Minister for Skills, looking at how as a nation we can improve our technical skills and the UK’s competitiveness. With Brexit, it is now even more important that we develop the skills we need to remain globally competitive. Today we have a serious shortage of technicians
in industry at a time when 400,000 16-24 year olds are unemployed. Surely, these young people have the ability and motivation to train as technicians if given good opportunities to do so. The report goes on to look at how with industry input government can design a system that provides young people with clear educational routes which lead to employment in specific occupations, while clearly and simply providing
career advisers with what they need to explain to young people what options they have. The report reinforces the UTC’s whole approach
to specialist and technical education, whilst working hand in hand with our industry. Previously, there was much scepticism about the need for UTCs, but I think today it is proven that University Technical Colleges help young people specialise and understand more clearly how to use their qualifications in industry. UTCs, are government-funded schools that
offer 14–19 year olds a great deal more than traditional schools-teaching students technical and scientific subjects in a whole new way. We are effectively educating the inventors, engineers, scientists and technicians of tomorrow. Put simply, UTCs are meeting the needs of the skills gap and by 2017 more than 27,000 students will be able to follow this new technical education pathway. UTC Reading focuses on Computer Science and
Engineering and despite having only been open for three years the school has been awarded an outstanding by Ofsted. Currently there are 39 UTCs around the country and over 50 will have
16
www.education-today.co.uk
opened by 2018. What UTCs do, and what the report is eluding to, is the need for clear and transparent technical routes which lead to employment in specific occupations. This must be sufficiently clear and simple that
career advisers can easily explain to young people what options they have. As a representative on the Careers and Enterprise Company here in Berkshire, I know this is much needed. This way we know that we are designing the skills needed for the future. Currently there are 13,000 qualifications available to young people, many of them of little value, which makes career guidance extremely difficult. Technical qualifications are no longer the
second-hand route. What is important here is that we work very closely in partnership with industry, and while Government of course must design the overall education system, I firmly believe that industry experts must lay down the knowledge, skills and methods of assessment needed for each qualification. This is one of the reasons why at UTC Reading we have worked very hard to develop strong partnerships with industry.
October 2016
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
