Overview
Alignment with Be You Domains
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Mentally Healthy Communities
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Family Partnerships
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Learning Resilience
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Early Support
Alignment with Australian Curriculum
- Health and PE
Target audience
- Secondary school
Target groups
Not provided
Program delivery
Whole year levelAims
The batyr@school program suite aims to educate young people to take charge of their mental health and reach out for support when they need it. The programs aim for school communities that are free from stigma, have open and supportive conversations about mental health, and are equipped with the tools to promote mental health.Program theory
batyr@school uses planned interactions between people with a lived experience of mental health issues or conditions and the public. Program outcomes map closely to the key components of mental health literacy including, an 'Ability to recognise specific disorders or different types of psychological distress' and 'Attitudes which facilitate recognition and appropriate help-seeking'. The program suite also maps to the Australian curriculum, with programs addressing the base levels of Bloom's taxonomy in relation to mental health literacy. While batyr@school is grounded in theoretical frameworks, it also has unique elements such as peer-to-peer program delivery and strengths-based education. The underlying pedagogy of batyr’s programs uses elements of Socratic method, reflection, collaboration, constructivism and IBL.Topics
batyr@school programs topics include identifying signs and symptoms of mental health issues or conditions; basic strategies for dealing with stress anxiousness; talking about mental health, whether students are dealing with their own challenges or supporting someone else; increasing awareness of available services including treatment efficacy and how to navigate the mental health system; increasing knowledge of self-care strategies and how to maintain good mental health; and increasing feelings of emotional connectedness and reducing feelings of isolation. batyr has a range of more focused follow-up programs on topics such as looking out for mates, stress and anxiety, and the transition out of high school. batyr’s parent and teacher programs include content on how to support young people dealing with mental health conditions.Cost
Program structure
The batyr@school core student programs are delivered face-to-face or online, via videoconferencing, to individual year levels. Programs run for 60 to 90 minutes. These programs have a flexible structure with one program delivered to a cohort each year, starting with the batyr ‘Standard’. A follow-up program is delivered each subsequent year. Students can be introduced to batyr with the ‘Standard’ in any year from Years 9 to 12. All student groups need to do the batyr ‘Standard’ program before the follow-up programs, and the follow-ups are designed to then be done in a prescribed order. batyr’s student 'Chapter' program is for student leaders and is delivered across a whole year. Teacher professional development sessions are 2 hours; batyr parent forums include an expert panel.Instructor
- External facilitator
Instructor training
The programs are delivered by peer-facilitators who deliver educational content and activities, and one or 2 young lived-experience speakers who are trained to share their personal experiences of overcoming mental health challenges. Peer-facilitators are inducted through group workshops and one-on-one training. Training topics include increasing knowledge of batyr, its programs and the evidence that supports them; mental health literacy; fundamentals of psychological safety; and skills for engaging groups of young people. Facilitators learn to manage responses from students, how to deliver content, and debrief. batyr’s speakers are trained to share their lived experience through batyr’s ‘Being Herd’ program, a 2-day workshop. They also do one-on-one story development training with a batyr staff member so the story is engaging, impactful and safe for them and the audience.Supporting resources or materials available with program
- Manual
- Workbook
Ongoing support
batyr’s peer-facilitator training model includes ongoing one-on-one training throughout the facilitator's time at batyr. This includes post-program reflections and feedback, and an assessment against a skills and knowledge framework. batyr’s speakers are supported through batyr’s ‘Being Herd’ program with training, community building and wellbeing check-ins to make sure they are always in the best place to be doing lived-experience advocacy.Parent involvement
- Attend information sessions
- Attend program sessions with child
- Follow-up information provided after program
Origin of program
Australia
batyr
Program authors
Kayla Hicks, Josh Wiseman, Dr Tim Sharp
Ratings
Summary of evidence factors
This is a summary of the evaluation or research study characteristics that contribute to the program’s evidence rating.
Positive impact on at least one outcome for children and/or young people?
The study reported positive outcomes. |
Yes |
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Link between program description and theory of change
Theory of change refers to whether there was a comprehensive description and illustration of how and why a desired change is expected to happen in a particular context. |
Comprehensive |
Study design
Type of study design reported. |
Randomised control trial |
Independence
The degree to which the program authors were involved in the research. |
Completely |
Summary of implementation factors
This is a summary of the program’s characteristics that contribute to its implementation rating.
Feedback sought from participants
Participants enjoyed the program and understood its benefits. |
Yes |
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Feedback sought from instructors
Instructors enjoyed the program and understood its benefits. |
Yes |
Groups program is not suitable for
Groups the program wouldn't be suitable for or that required further research to determine suitability. |
Not assessed |
Training provided during study
The model of training provided. |
Face to face train-the-trainer in person |
Ongoing instructor support provided during study
Whether ongoing support is provided. |
Yes |
Context
This is a summary of the context in which the evidence for the program was established.
Study Participants
Pre school, primary school (Foundation to Year 6), secondary school (Years 7 to 12). |
Secondary school |
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Country of Study/s
The location in which the evidence or research was conducted. |
Australia |
Location of Study/s in Australia
The state (or states) the program was assessed in Australia. |
NSW |
Evaluation of program in culturally and linguistically diverse populations
Provider has included culturally and linguistically diverse people when assessing the program. |
Yes |
Evaluation of program in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people
Provider has included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples when assessing the program. |
Yes |
Evaluation of program in low socioeconomic groups
Program has evaluated a diverse socio-economic population in their research. |
No |
Developmental based adaptations to program design and delivery
Shorter sessions for younger students or activities are adjusted for age appropriateness. |
No |
Evaluation of program in children and young people with disability and/or learning difference
Provider has included participants with a disability or learning difference when assessing the program. |
Yes |
Last updated: 11 July 2024