Mental Health Awareness Week 2024
Mental Health Awareness Week 'MHAW' 2024
Celebrate the power of community in uplifting our collective wellbeing.
'MHAW' AT OPS
At OPS we are going to acknowledge and participate in Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 by modifying the activities made for adults for our ākonga.
MHAW links really closely to our OPS 6 Ways To Wellbeing.
As part of Home Learning this week, we encourage children to complete the daily challenge, take photos and keep a simple dairy or record of what they do...and importantly how it feels to do it.
Email your pictures with a explanation of what you did and how it felt to Mrs Holley - vholley@onehungaprimary.school.nz. They will be shared on this page
Manaaki / Monday
Lunchtime Activity Options
Chatterbox making with Mrs Worsley in Kiwi Aniwaniwa
Be Creative /Positive affirmation cards -Mrs Jean D’Souza R10
Start the week off with an act of kindness. On the first day of MHAW, take some time out of your day to help someone in a small but meaningful way.
Even one simple thing, like carrying groceries or holding a door open for a stranger, can create a chain reaction of kindness that uplifts the whole community.
Ideas for how you can help someone today:
This might include saying hi, smiling at others, giving high-fives, sharing, using kind words, inviting someone new to join a game at lunch, listening well, etc.
Ask a member of your whānau if you can help them with a chore.
Do something to help at home without being asked
Volunteer a few hours of your time today — there are lots of community groups who would love your help!
Give a genuine compliment to a friend, family member, or even a stranger.
Take the time to listen to someone who needs to talk, offering your full attention and support.
Tautoko Tuesday
Lunchtime Activity Options
Mindful Colouring with Mrs Farley on Level 2, field side
Mindful Colouring with Mrs Millar (Year 1 - 2) Kea Space
It’s no secret that the pandemic, rising costs and extreme weather events have made things tough for our local community, businesses and organisations over the past few years. Today, we encourage you to tautoko/support an independent merchant or community organisation. A little tautoko can go a long way in difficult times.
To support a small neighbourhood business or community organisation today, you could:
Spend some time clearing out that forgotten cupboard. Donate toys, books, sports equipment or clothes you are no longer using to a local charity.
Do you have some books you are finished with which you can donate to our 'Little Library' we are setting up at school? You can bring htem to our office.
Make a thank you card for someone in your whānau or community - there are cards linked here you can colour-in and use for this activity – illustrated by the very talented Suzi & Binx. Or you might prefer to create their own!
Print card 1: You are cooler than pirates and ninjas combined.
Print card 2: If I could bottle your greatness I'd make millions.
Do you have fruit or food growing you can donate to our OPS Pataka Kai? You can share food to help others here at any time.
Whānau Wedensday
Lunchtime Activity Options
Yoga- Mrs Erceg in Kiwi Paki
We’ve made it to the middle of the week!
Feeling connected to others is strongly associated with better wellbeing, because it gives us a sense of meaning, safety, support and purpose. Give yourself — and your loved ones — a mid-week boost, by reaching out to a friend or whānau member you would like to catch up with.
You could connect with the important people in your life today, by:
Sending them a message, having a kōrero, arranging a catch up in person, or using our postcard resource to get in touch with a loved one you haven’t talked to in a while.
Write a letter to, or draw a picture for, someone they’d like to connect with.
Sparklers’ Being a First-Rate Mate has ideas about making friends with other tauira/students, with Sparklers’ Being a First-Rate Mate.
Baking some treats to share with friends at morning tea time. Enjoy a moment to connect with them over some delicious kai.
Grabbing your mates to spend some time connecting with the whenua. Get into the great outdoors — go on a bush hikoi/walk, hikoi up your local maunga, or breathe in the salty fresh air of the moana. Enjoy a kōrero while you’re there.
Coming together with your whānau to take a moment for your collective wairua, by trying out these Te Ao Māori mindful breathing exercises.
Having a think about whether there is someone you know who may be going through a tough time. Reach out and ask them how they are, and empathise and listen to any concerns. You can find more information about how to have a safe and supportive kōrero here.
Reaching out to someone who may be lonely, and inviting them to spend time with you.
And if you’re experiencing loneliness yourself? Remember that feeling isolated is a common experience, and it’s okay to feel this way. By reaching out to someone else, you could be helping that person too — and boosting your wellbeing at the same time.
Tūhono Thursday
Lunchtime Activity Options
Mindfulness meditation with Mrs Taylor (years 3+) in Piwakawaka L2 Field side
Chatterbox with Mrs Lialia’i on Level 2, lift side
M3 mindfulness with Mrs Ghadiyar in Kereru field side
As we move closer to the weekend, find some time in your day to connect with someone in your community that you don’t usually talk to. Introduce yourself to a child at school who you don't know, or someone in your local community . Building relationships with people who live in your community can create a supportive network, right at your doorstep.
To get to know someone new in your community today, you could:
Introduce yourself to a friend at school. Ask them if there’s anything you can do to help them, and invite them to join you for morning tea or lunch. You could even use these kōrero card set to learn more about each other.
Join a new class or group — learn an instrument, join a book club or put on your dancing shoes and discover some new moves. Not only will you learn a new skill, but you’ll get to know a new community at the same time.
Say “kia ora” to the road patrollers, bus driver, checkout operator or local barista, and ask them how their day is going. These small moments of connection can help to strengthen your local community ties, and give everyone a little wellbeing boost!
Organise a community or school clean-up day. You could clean up a local awa/river, tātahi/beach or park, or start a whakatō rākau/tree planting project.
Help your firends get to know other tauira/students, using Sparklers’ Common Ground activity.
Whakawhetai Friday
Lunchtime Activity Options
Positive affirmations in R20 with Mrs Wolhuter
What better way to finish off the week, than by saying thank you to someone in your school or community? Spread some good vibes by showing your gratitude today — it could be to the teachers, learning assistant, office staff or caretaker, or neighbour…anyone who helps make your community what it is.
You could express gratitude to those in your community today, by:
Using our whakawhetai/gratitude poster to say thank you to someone you cross paths with today.
Has someone gone above and beyond to help your school or community recently? Thank them face to face or in a
Getting crafty, and creating something for someone you are grateful for. It could be as simple as drawing them a picture, or writing a thoughtful letter telling them what you appreciate about them.
Organising a surprise outing for a friend or whānau member you are grateful for. Plan to do their favourite activities, and enjoy the chance to catch up and kōrero.
Leaving a note on a teacher's desk to thank them for their help at mahi.
Taking a moment for yourself today, by writing down three things you are grateful for. Reflecting on the things we are thankful for can help us to experience more positive emotions.
Checking out Sparklers’ Compliment Posters and Gratitude O’Clock activities, to help your tamariki practise gratitude.
OPS 6 Ways to Wellbeing
We have adopted a modified version of the NZ Mental Health Foundations - "5 Ways To Wellbeing" to make 'Creativity' more explicit. Research suggests that this is one crucial addition for the Wellbeing of Children.
Our 6 Ways To Wellbeing guide our planning to support the wellbeing of out students.
