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Date
27 September 2023
Link
inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/preparing-students-to-leave-school/encourage-students-to-plan-and-to-seek-support-as-needed

Encourage students to plan and to seek support as needed

Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Helping students identify aspirations and implement plans to achieve them’

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Connect with students regularly

Connect with students regularly

Students identify the positive impact of having an adult who believes in them, looks out for them, has high expectations for them, and is available when they need support.

10223 [Mentoring-photo-from-MoE-video.png]

Source: Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga

Source:
Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga

View full image (1.3 MB) (opens in a new tab/window)

Connect students to supporters

Connect students to supporters

Being connected to the community is vital to well-being. The community can be family or whānau, friends, neighbours, people from local clubs, advocacy groups, or support workers.

Help the student and their family or whānau to identify people who could:

  • be good advocates and allies
  • provide practical help (with transport, for example)
  • help solve problems
  • be a mentor
  • connect them to others with similar experiences
  • support them to find relevant information
  • be good listeners.

Foster resilience

Foster resilience

Build an understanding of what supports students’ resilience.

  • Control: Young people who understand that privileges and respect are earned through demonstrated responsibility will learn to make wise choices and feel a sense of control.
  • Competence: Give young people opportunities to develop competence. We undermine competence when we don't allow students to recover themselves after a fall.
  • Confidence: Young people need confidence to be able to navigate the world, think outside the box, and recover from challenges.
  • Connection: Connections with other people, schools, and communities offer young people the security that allows them to stand on their own and develop creative solutions.
  • Character: Young people need a clear sense of right and wrong and a commitment to integrity.
  • Contribution: Young people who contribute to the well-being of others receive gratitude. They learn that contributing feels good and may therefore more easily turn to others.
  • Coping: Young people who possess a variety of healthy coping strategies will be less likely to turn to dangerous quick fixes when stressed.

Source: Adapted from The 7 C's: The essential building blocks of resilience (opens in a new tab/window)

Tools to manage anxiety

Tools to manage anxiety

Sometimes students don’t want to talk. As an alternative, introduce students to resources and tools that can help them manage their anxiety or feelings of being overwhelmed or stuck.

  • SPARX is an online e-therapy tool provided by the University of Auckland. SPARX helps young people learn skills to deal with feeling depressed or stressed.
  • The Lowdown has a leaving-school section that offers a choice of actions students can take to manage their anxiety as they approach leaving school.

Circles of support

Circles of support

For me to be happy and not lonely, I need help from good friends. So I have a circle of support and they’re called The Young Champs.

The Young Champs is a group of very special people who’re there for me. Every two months, we have a meeting and I organise them. I wrote them a letter asking if they could help me with my goals.

I wanted people who were funny, helpful, friendly, honest, supportive, and smart. We have dinner that I cook and then have our meeting and talk about ME.

I’m very blessed to have good people in my life. They’re all there for me and it feels good.

My champs make sure that I’m in charge of my life and are there to help me. My champs and my family are all behind me so that makes me feel very strong. They really listen to me.

Source: A young adult’s guide to flatting (opens in a new tab/window)

Source:
A young adult’s guide to flatting
https://issuu.com/parenttoparentnz/docs/parent_to_parent_summer_2014/13

Useful resources

Useful resources

Website

The Low Down

The Lowdown website offers a choice of actions students can take to manage their anxiety. It has a section dedicated to issues around school and leaving school.

Publisher: The Low Down

Visit website

Website

School and jobs

This site provides support tips for teenagers as they manage school and move to life beyond school. It focuses on strategies for reducing stress and thinking ahead.

Publisher: TeensHealth

Visit website

Website

School Leavers' Toolkit

Practical advice and resources to support young adults find their way after leaving school. The online toolkit contains information on: tertiary education, moving out of home, getting a job, money and tax, taking care of myself and others, government and voting. The toolkit is in English and Māori.

Visit website

Next steps

More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Help students' identify aspirations and implement plans”:

Return to the guide “Preparing students to leave school”

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Leaving school

How to use this site

Guide to Index of the guide: Leaving school

Strategies for action:

Key resources:

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This is a Ministry of Education initiative​​​​​​​. We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes.

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