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Open Parachute

Open Parachute

Open Parachute is a mental health skill-building program that uses peer voices to build resilience and wellbeing in students and educators.

Overview

Alignment with Be You Domains

  • Mentally Healthy Communities

  • Family Partnerships

  • Learning Resilience

  • Early Support

  • Responding Together

Alignment with Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

  • Children are confident and involved learners
  • Children are connected with and contribute to their world
  • Children are effective communicators
  • Children have a strong sense of identity
  • Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

Alignment with Australian Curriculum

  • Health and PE

Target audience

  • Primary school
  • Secondary school

Target groups

  • Small group
  • Whole class
  • Whole school

Aims

Open Parachute aims to create generational change through equipping students with a comprehensive mental health toolkit for personal development and wellbeing, to support students to thrive within the classroom and beyond.

Program theory

Open Parachute is based on self-determination theory, focusing on the importance of students building autonomy, competence and connection with their peers.

Open Parachute lessons draw on frameworks, including:

  • cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
  • acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
  • mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)
  • narrative therapy.

These frameworks inform the teaching of psychological skills, including thought-challenging, perspective-shifting, acceptance of emotions, behaviour change and relationship skills.

Topics

Open Parachute lessons cover a range of themes that are tailored towards age and developmental stage for each year level. Topics include (but are not limited to) friendships, overcoming challenges, anxiety, inclusion, anti-bullying, resilience, change management, help-seeking, social media, and communication.

Cost

Cost is $20 per student, with discounts for larger schools. There is partial and full funding support available through our partnerships with The Sebastian Foundation and The Adelaide Crows Foundation.

Program structure

Open Parachute is designed as a curriculum that can be run from K-12, with unique grade-specific programs. There are over 500 Lessons available K-12. The primary school program contains approximately 35 unique Lessons for each year K to 6. The high school program features more than 42 unique lessons for each year level 7 to 12. Lessons are organised into topics, with around 7 topics for each year level. Each topic contains 3 to 5 sequenced lessons designed to be run weekly. Topics can be run in any order and educators can choose which topics to run. The high school programs also contain standalone lessons that can be used in any order throughout the year.

Instructor

  • Educator

Instructor training

Open Parachute offers a one-hour initial virtual call with the Wellbeing leaders from each school to create an implementation plan. There are another 2 options available that schools can provide to staff to assist with implementation: 1. Self-onboarding Educators can complete a self-onboarding module. 2. Group-onboarding A pre-prepared online presentation that staff can complete as a group.

Supporting resources or materials available with program

  • Manual
  • Online webinars
  • Posters

Ongoing support

Participating schools have a dedicated account manager to support them throughout the year. Live Chat is available, allowing educators to chat with a member of the Open Parachute team anytime 8am to 5pm AEST. Educators can also contact a support team via email or phone. Open Parachute also provides a 24-hour online Help Centre, which contains helpful guides and videos discussing various aspects of the program.

Parent involvement

  • Attend information sessions
  • Attend program sessions with child
  • Written information provided to parents
  • Online resources
  • Follow-up information provided after program

Origin of program

Australia

Open Parachute

Program authors

Dr Hayley Watson

Address
66 Goulburn St, Level 29, Sydney, NSW, 2204
Phone
02 7251 1665
Email
hello@openparachute.com.au
website
Visit website

Ratings

2/4 Evidence
2/4 Implementation

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? Yes
Link between program description and theory of change Comprehensive
Study design Pre-post cohort
Independence Completely

Summary of implementation factors

This is a summary of the program’s characteristics that contribute to its implementation rating.

Feedback sought from participants Yes
Feedback sought from instructors Yes
Groups program is not suitable for Not assessed
Training provided during study Web based
Ongoing instructor support provided during study Yes

Context

This is a summary of the context in which the evidence for the program was established.

Study Participants

Primary school

Secondary school
Country of Study/s

Australia
Location of Study/s in Australia

Victoria
Evaluation of program in culturally and linguistically diverse populations Yes
Evaluation of program in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people No
Evaluation of program in low socioeconomic groups No
Developmental based adaptations to program design and delivery No
Evaluation of program in children and young people with disability and/or learning difference No

Last updated: 22 November 2024