Students from six local high schools across Townsville came together last month, for the second interactive workshop for the Healthy Minds Project. The project, funded by Rotary Club - Townsville Central, and hosted by Ryan Catholic College, aims to empower students to be ‘Leaders of Change’, by developing and facilitating wellbeing initiatives for their respective school communities.

The Healthy Minds Project was launched in 2018 and continues to have a lasting impact on school communities who are involved.

“The outcomes reported across the schools between 2018 and 2021 have been incredible and students have expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the project”, said Tracy Blanchard, Wellbeing Coordinator and Healthy Minds Project Coordinator.

Schools participating this year include: Ryan Catholic College, Southern Cross Catholic College, St Anthony’s Catholic College, Ignatius Park College, The Cathedral School and Thuringowa State High School.

The first workshop was held in April where students learnt the importance of making meaningful contributions to their school community through leadership and team building skills emphasised in the project. The groups also generated and defined ideas to promote student resilience and wellbeing within their school community.

The most recent workshop focused on project management and mastering communication for results within their teams and larger school communities.

These workshops have provided students with a unique learning experience, empowering them to lead significant community impact projects while providing education and awareness of mental and general wellbeing.