Gilroy is going all out to support teen mental health

Gilroy Catholic College is taking practical steps to actively support teen mental health, ensuring that the whole school community, including parents and carers, are upskilled in the area of Mental Health First Aid.

At the school staff level, the Principal, Assistant Principal, all Year leaders, Teacher’s Aides, and the Diversity team have all received training in Youth Mental Health First Aid. In terms of the students themselves, the College provides annual training for Year 10 students in Teen Mental Health First Aid (TMHFA). This equips the students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to recognise, understand and respond to a friend or classmate experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis.

Last year, for the first time, the College extended Youth Mental Health Training to its parent body, recognising the valuable role parents play in enhancing the mental wellbeing of their children. Building on the success of this initiative, a 2024 parent training course has just been run. Consisting of an e-learning component and two face to face sessions, the course equipped parents with the skills to assist teenagers with mental health concerns.

Parents take part in Mental Health First Aid Training at Gilroy

Parents were made aware of the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems in young people, and learnt where and how to get help. Parents were also given the skills to provide first aid in a mental health crisis situation.

At the conclusion of the course parents were given the opportunity to take an online quiz to gain accreditation as a Mental Health First aid provider through Mental Health First Aid Australia. The parent training was delivered by Paul Smith, one of the School Counsellors from Gilroy Catholic College who sees this as the next step in improving youth mental health outcomes.

“As we continue to navigate the challenges of raising a teenager in the 21st century it's evident that actively supporting their mental health has become an essential responsibility of parenting,” Paul said.

It's important that as parents we equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to better support our children and we acknowledge the important role parents play in fostering a healthy and resilient mindset in our teenagers.

Principal, Cheryl Merryweather, says Gilroy is committed to working collaboratively with their parents and the broader school community.

“It is important that we work together to enhance the outcomes and wellbeing of the teengers in our care and to help develop a generation better equipped to face the challenges of the future,” Cheryl said.