Z Zurich Foundation’s Post

As 2024 comes to a close, we are proud to see our ambition for youth mental wellbeing highlighted in the Financial Times. #Youth #mentalhealth is a global issue that has reached critical levels. At the Z Zurich Foundation, we firmly believe that only collective efforts can shape a future where young people have the resources and confidence to thrive. In this article, Gregory Renand, Head of the Z Zurich Foundation, highlights the impact of our global prevention and promotion approach through our "Thriving Together" partnership with UNICEF. Since 2021, we have equipped over 900,000 adolescents and caregivers with crucial skills in emotional regulation, stress management, and wellbeing promotion. We are now expanding the global reach of the partnership from 7 to 15 countries, aiming to support at least 11 million people by 2027. Here you can find more about the shift to #prevention and #promotion that we need, the crucial role of private sector partnerships in driving meaningful change and a vision of what the future of adolescents could be. https://lnkd.in/d2X8kchF

🌟 Empowering Youth Mental Health with Headspace 🌟 In today's fast-paced world, mental health is more important than ever, especially for young people facing the pressures of high school. As a high school student in Australia, I've discovered the immense value of having a strong support system. That’s why I’m passionate about sharing the resources provided by Headspace. Headspace offers a wide range of services aimed at helping young people manage their mental health and well-being. From professional counselling to educational resources, Headspace is dedicated to providing the support we need. Key offerings that stand out to me include: -Youth-Friendly Counselling: 💬 Tailored support from professionals who understand the unique challenges we face. -Workshops and Programs: 🎓 Interactive sessions that build resilience and teach coping strategies. -Community Connections: 🌍 Opportunities to connect with others going through similar experiences, fostering a sense of belonging and support. Mental health should never be overlooked. By utilising the services from Headspace, we can build a healthier, more supportive community. Let's prioritise our mental well-being and support each other through the highs and lows of high school life. #MentalHealthMatters #Headspace #YouthSupport #HighSchoolLife #Australia #CommunityWellbeing

The article reveals a concerning trend of increasing ill health, particularly mental health issues, leading young people in their early 20s to be out of work, a departure from previous studies. This highlights the urgent need for improved mental health support in higher educational settings and coordinated efforts to address the rising mental health issues among young individuals. Occupational health can support to facilitate the return of affected individuals to the workplace or University, recognising the substantial impact on their employment prospects and overall wellbeing. https://lnkd.in/eepm6Ny2 #OccupationalHealth #Universities #ReturnToWork #SupportingStudents #MentalHealth #AgileOH

(Part 1/2) I will be speaking at this forum on 5th October 2024 at 11am, on creating a future-ready education system (Register here : https://lnkd.in/gS93YPKx) organised by Yen-Lu Chow's Asia Institute of Mentoring. And I looked at his story behind Over the Rainbow and teared. ... From an ST article (Oct 07, 2014, https://lnkd.in/g2gG6-G4) : //Growing up, Lawrence Chow was the son many parents would wish they had. A little shy, he was an ace tennis player, tinkled the ivories, wielded a good pen, was great with children and kind to the homeless. But after he turned 18, he started suffering from bouts of debilitating depression which reduced him to a weepy, morose wreck. He struggled with a blue funk for eight years and on Oct 22, 2009, just a few months before he was to graduate with honours in psychology from Murdoch University in Australia, the 26-year-old took his own life. His death threw his parents - Mr Chow Yen Lu and his wife Yee Ling - into a pit of grief. "We wondered if inadvertently we had projected our own values and expectations, which turned into a life burden weighing heavily on his shoulders," recalls Mr Chow, a 56-year-old technopreneur. "It's easy to blame yourself and each other and that came out from time to time. But almost right from the beginning, we decided it wasn't going to get us anywhere," he adds, explaining how he and his wife, a Chinese language teacher, coped with their distress. "You cannot change what happened. You can question yourself - 'Why didn't you do this, why did you do that?' - but questioning won't get you anywhere." Something their only child said when he was alive galvanised them to turn their grief into something beautiful. Mr Chow recalls: "He once said, 'Wouldn't it be nice if we could make a difference in someone's life?'" The couple decided to do just that by setting up a foundation, Over The Rainbow, a year after their son's death. Among other things, it sets out to promote youth mental wellness as well as raise awareness about depression and other mental illnesses.// ... Suicide is complex. The factors are difficult to unentangle, even into adulthood. What we can do for one another is to show up as long as we have the chance to do so. And then grieve as respectfully and safely as we can. I am appreciative that SG seems to be opening up on difficult conversations esp on suicides. Project Hayat's White Paper is excellent. The posts on LI (e.g. by Jonathan Kuek and all) have been useful spaces to talk openly. All that is left, I think, is the difficult conversation to be had with children in schools. EveryChild.SG Little U I'll share that on my next post.

🌏 Today is World Mental Health Day, a reminder that mental health is essential to the wellbeing of all children and young people. At ARACY, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy, safe, and supported, and mental health plays a key role in achieving this. We know that mental health challenges can impact learning, relationships, and overall wellbeing. That’s why it’s critical to ensure every young person has access to the right support at the right time. Our work is guided by The Nest framework, which emphasises the importance of children being healthy, loved, and safe. By focusing on these interconnected wellbeing domains, we can help create environments where children thrive—emotionally, socially, and mentally. 💚 This #MentalHealthDay, let’s work together to raise awareness and advocate for better access to mental health services for all young Australians. Find out more about children's wellbeing and The Nest on our website: https://lnkd.in/gwTREyvf

Last week's National Youth Mental Wellbeing Summit marked a crucial milestone in our ongoing efforts to address the mental health challenges faced by today’s youth. The insights and data shared underscore the urgent need for action in our fast-paced world. The statistics on youth mental health are indeed alarming, and the summit served as a pivotal forum for experts, educators, parents, and young people to come together. It was a great opportunity to exchange experiences and, most importantly, actionable solutions that can make a real difference. At Mindei, we are committed to transforming the mental health landscape. We believe every child deserves the chance to thrive and flourish, and not be burdened by mental health challenges. Our mission is to revolutionize mental health care for children and young people by seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technology with empathetic human interactions. We are proud to be featured in Business Standard. For an in-depth look at the critical discussions that took place, read more about the summit here: https://lnkd.in/eubBAuH4

"What we need to do is look at our staff first of all, because we need our staff to be steady, regulated, and to be present so that they can support our children to do this as well." Improving staff wellbeing goes hand in hand with enhancing pupil wellbeing and can positively influence the retention and recruitment of valuable team members. In our Thrive in Action webinar, 'How to nurture mental health and wellbeing for pupils with SEN in MATs and dioceses', Jo Warner, Assistant Director of Education for the Diocese of Durham and Newcastle, shared the strategies her organisation use to improve the wellbeing of staff. Here are some of her key takeaways: 💡Create a culture where everybody is truly and authentically valued for what they bring. 💡Introduce mental health first aiders who can offer timely support to teams and signpost staff to resources and external agencies. 💡Establish networks so people can come together from different schools to share experiences, celebrate their work and support with challenges. 💡Communication is key to good mental health; make time for staff to talk. Little and often is most effective. Thrive's 'Supporting Staff Wellbeing in Schools' short course is the ideal starting point for improved mental health, providing staff with the tools to take back control of their wellbeing, recognise and respond when they're struggling, and learn methods for managing stress. Book this course for your next INSET day and equip every member of your team to be mentally healthy: https://lnkd.in/enMu-T4s #StaffWellbeing #TeacherRetention #SeniorLeadership #INSETDay #CPD #MentalHealthinSchool

Teachers are feeling under pressure, undervalued, and overworked. Stress, depression, and anxiety are at an unsustainably high level, with 78% of staff experiencing adverse mental health symptoms due to their work. This is a very worrying statistic. We need to do more to help prevent mental ill-health in our educators. They deserve more and so do our children. https://lnkd.in/et3G3gQs https://lnkd.in/eRctWDHk)

Investing in sustainable programs for supporting mental health in schools is worth our money and time and care. Kids are worth it. Families are worth it. Educators are worth it. #mentalhealthmatters

Let’s Rethink Youth Mental Health First Aid ⬇️ It’s time to move beyond the usual wellness offerings. In schools, alongside general assemblies or mindfulness apps, we should focus on practical strategies like teaching emotional resilience and creating safe spaces where children can talk openly. It’s about making real connections and offering meaningful support This year’s World Mental Health Day theme is all about prioritising mental health, and that goes far beyond ticking boxes. It’s not about: ❌ Just having an Employee Assistance Programme ❌ Running a one-off webinar on mental health ❌ Training Youth Mental Health First Aiders and thinking the job is done ❌ Upskilling staff without considering how it ties into the bigger picture What it is about: ✔ Building a holistic strategy that truly integrates well-being into your culture ✔ Encouraging ongoing mental health conversations at all levels ✔ Using training as a springboard, not the end goal - creating lasting change ✔ Supporting your Youth Mental Health First Aiders long after they’ve been trained, ensuring they feel confident and equipped ✔ Shifting from short-term fixes to long-term, meaningful support that genuinely helps young people thrive This journey isn’t just about checking off tasks. It’s about embedding mental health support into everything we do, so it becomes a core part of how we engage with and uplift young people. With this in mind, how are you rethinking your approach to youth mental health? #WorldMentalHealthday2024 #WMHD24