The most effective approach to mental health prevention and promotion is one that involves the whole learning community – including leaders, educators, children and young people, families and the wider local community. We call this a whole learning community approach.
Developing a
Be You Action Team is an important part of this process. The Action Team is a group of individuals who lead the implementation of the whole learning community approach to Be You.
Action Teams also have a role in building momentum and enthusiasm, bringing people together to create meaningful and long lasting change for everyone in your learning community.
Share the load
Taking a role in the Action Team can support educators to take on new responsibilities and develop their leadership skills. Action Teams generally include school and service leaders, but it is a great way to involve educators and staff who do not currently have a leadership role and who have a strong interest in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the community.
This provides an opportunity for them to share their knowledge and interests while they develop their leadership skills.
A sustainable approach
A shared leadership approach is an opportunity to build individual skills, but it is also a great way to create a sustainable approach to your Be You participation.
With an active and engaged Action Team, you have a greater capacity to continue Be You participation even when key team members are unavailable, change roles or when things get really busy for service leaders.
The Be You implementation process actively encourages shared ownership and contribution across the learning community by educators, families and children. By building and participating with the Action Team you are implementing this collaborative approach right from the start.
Inspire change to support a mentally healthy community
When you build an Action Team that includes individuals with different roles, perspectives and experiences in the service, you build a richer team to consider the best way to embed Be You in your service. The different knowledge, perspectives and experiences will enhance and deepen your understanding of your learning community and what will best support their needs.
Different ways to engage
Be You is flexible and responsive and can support existing priorities in your service. Using their knowledge of the community with tools like the
Action Team Leader handbook and the support of the Be You Consultants, the Action Team will find the best pathway for your school or service, in turn supporting engagement and motivation across the learning community.
Whilst the Action Team needs to be able to guide and answer questions around Be You they do not need to be experts.
Within Be You knowledge is supported for the whole learning community with a Professional Learning Framework, Fact Sheets, access to online Events, Tools and Guides and Always Be You resources.
