With COVID-19 restrictions easing across the country, and devastating floods hitting Queensland and NSW, change and uncertainty has become a constant in the lives of children and their families. A recent study shows that children born in 2020 will experience a two to sevenfold increase in extreme events, compared to their grandparents.
To support children to understand the impact and build their resilience to bounce back from adversity, The MacKillop Institute and Southern Cross University have developed resources designed for primary aged students that offer a fresh, fun and safe approach to learning how to adapt to the change and uncertainty that occurs with big events like a pandemic or natural disaster.
The Rockhopper Toolkit: finding your feet during times of change takes inspiration from rockhopper penguins and builds on the knowledge accumulated over 25 years of the Seasons for Growth evidence-based programs that have supported hundreds of thousands of children and adults in five countries to work through change, loss and grief.
Developed in partnership with the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University, the Toolkit is underpinned by research evidence, leveraging what works best in supporting children through difficult times, including the most recent advancements in resilience science.
The free Toolkit is comprised of three videos, each around ten minutes long, with pauses for facilitated activities.
Each video builds upon each other, and it is recommended they are delivered across several days or weeks, to allow reflection and learning in between the sessions.
Manager of Seasons for Growth programs, Fiona McCallum said, ‘We didn’t want to add to teachers’ stress during this time. The videos are easy to facilitate with minimal prior preparation or resources. Our hope is that they offer a creative, shared approach to social and emotional learning and spark supportive conversations for children and young people across the country and beyond.
‘The resources reflect the importance of guided discussion and having a shared language to help children understand their experience, and the support available,’ she said.
‘Seasons for Growth programs and this COVID-19 Toolkit provide children with an opportunity to discuss potentially challenging life experiences in a safe, respectful and ethical way. This proactive engagement with children helps to address issues like isolation, loneliness and anxiety before they progress,’ said Ms McCallum.
Adapting to uncertainty
Professor Anne Graham AO, Director of the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University and author of the Seasons for Growth programs agrees.
‘These resources are not about dealing with the pandemic or the floods per se, they’re about learning to adapt with experiences of change and uncertainty in our lives.
‘The most important thing we can do is acknowledge their reactions and equip them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to voice their experiences, manage their feelings, make good choices, set goals and reach out for support. This is the essence of resilience and skills they need for life,’ she said.
‘We also know that young people are more likely to adapt well given timely and appropriate information and support. In the past 12 months alone we have trained over 1,400 teachers and professionals across Australian schools in our Seasons for Growth suite of evidence-based change and loss programs.
‘These teaching professionals frequently report the value of the training in understanding how change and loss impacts on children and young people.’
This free resource is available to all schools, teachers, professionals working with children and parents. Find out more and download the toolkit from www.mackillopinstitute.org.au.
