Article:

The Festival for Healthy Living

What is it?

The Festival for Healthy Living is an innovative strategy to promote mental health and emotional well being in schools, using the performing arts. Beginning in 1998, it is an initiative of the Royal Children's Hospital Mental Health Service in partnership with a range of other health, education and arts organisations.

How does it work?

The Festival program addresses the need to enhance mental health and emotional well-being, promote help-seeking and problem-solving, and destigmatise mental health problems. It provides an opportunity for students to explore these issues in a solution-focused way, supported by their teachers and a community artist. This work culminates in a vibrant event, including student-devised performances presented at high profile community venues, along with exhibitions of students' artwork and writing. The performance experience provides individuals with opportunities to be seen by peers, teachers and families as shining stars.

Participating schools are organised into clusters consisting of one secondary school and two or more 'feeder' primary schools. Shared professional development and combined community performances help strengthen links between students and teachers across local primary and secondary schools, thus enriching the transition process.

The work of schools is supported by a comprehensive, ongoing professional development program that builds strong links between mental health and the arts. This program supports both the development of performance pieces and the linking of these to mental health promotion and other curriculum activities across the whole school. Professional performing artists are placed in each school for 15-20 weeks, working intensively towards performance with 25-100 students, as well as providing inspiration and practical strategies to other teachers and groups of students. A local steering committee comprising health, education and arts professionals provides further assistance with professional development and information for artists, teachers and parents, as well as links to community services.

What's happening in 2003?

In 2003 the Festival program will be implemented in a total of 9 schools across 3 regions in Victoria:

Western Metropolitan Region

Debney Park Secondary College
Debney Meadows Primary School
Flemington Primary School

Northern Metropolitan Region

Lakeside Secondary College
Preston Primary School
Reservoir Primary School

Loddon-Campaspe Mallee Region

Eaglehawk Secondary College
Eaglehawk North Primary School
California Gully Primary School

In addition, each of these regions will 'apprentice' a new region planning to establish their own Festival project and steering committee the following year.

Beyond 2003?

It is our aim to make the Festival available across Victoria over the next 3 years, working closely with education and health systems. We are currently negotiating funding and support for this process.

For further information on the Festival for Healthy Living contact:

John Lane or Helen Butler on 03 9345 6047 or email: festival.hl@rch.org.au

Funding and support

The Royal Children's Hospital Mental Health Service and its partners in the Festival for Healthy Living acknowledge the financial support of the Department of Human Services to make the Festival possible in 2003. We would also like to thank others who have made financial support available during the development of the project in the past 5 years, including:

• The William Buckland Foundation
• The Myer Foundation
• The Jack Brockhoff
• Department of Education and Training, Victoria
• School Focused Youth Service
• VicHealth