RELEASED August 26, 2022
headspace Lismore and Tweed Heads are running post-flood healing workshops for Northern Rivers secondary schools.
Students can elect to attend the one-hour workshops delivered at school and will do interactive exercises with two headspace workers and also learn what online resources are available to support them to thrive post-floods.
headspace Lismore manager Simone Balzer said when preparing for the workshops the Northern Rivers headspace team made the content as relevant as possible for Northern Rivers
“We wanted to make it as meaningful and helpful as possible for Northern Rivers young people,” Simone said. “We talk to young people about their expectations and changes in this post-flood environment, and ways to find support and build resilience following a natural disaster.
“Our Yarn Safe workers also contributed to ensure the material was appropriate and significant to First Nations Young People. We invested time developing workshop material to support young people on their journey of recovery.
“Our team is highly skilled and experienced in delivering mental health support to young people, including school-aged young people. We are a multidisciplinary team and that includes clinical oversight.”
Headspace Tweed Heads manager Steve Dowker said young people have been impacted in different ways by the disaster and their responses also changed over time.
“Some feel progress is happening, some struggle with a number of stressors around identity, education and family which is typical of a young person,” he said.
“We also have a sense that feelings of loss amongst some individuals and communities are increasing, and some people feel the recovery has stalled. It’s important to remember grief and feelings of loss are neither linear nor time specific – in short, everyone reacts differently, and that is okay.”
Northern Rivers schools can still sign up for workshops and nominate a time. For more information about the natural disaster mental health education sessions, contact the Mental Health Education Program team: [email protected]