AFL Goals

Prospective users

Aims & approach

AFL GOALS is free and available to all Australian schools via the AFL Schools platform. Sitting under the AFL's Mental Fitness Charter, the program is for children aged 10 to 15 years old and covers topics such as screen time, emotions, sleep, behaviour and moods, building resilience, empathy, social media and friendship.

Teachers need to register as AFL School Members to download the materials, all of which are free. The platform offers comprehensive lesson plans and materials tailored to different year levels, facilitating the integration of mental health education into the school curriculum.

Lesson plans cover four modules, with four lessons in each, equating to 16 lessons per year level band. Resources: AFL GOALS

Primary students Year 5-6

·       Module 1- What is mental health?- Introduces the concept of mental health and wellbeing.

·       Module 2- Inside the brain- Students explore how the brain impacts mental health during puberty.

·       Module 3- Emotions and feelings- Focusing on the impacts of decision making and relationships.

·       Module 4- Who’s on my team? -Students reflect on who contributes to their sense of belonging.

Secondary students Year 7-8 

·       Module 1- Decoding mental health- Decoding mental and wellbeing to understand the impact it has on people’s lives.

·       Module 2- Mind matters- Explores how the brain function during puberty and the impact on adolescents.

·       Module 3- All the feels- Explores emotions and feelings and how they can best be managed.

·       Module 4- Who’s my crew? – Knowing who is ‘in your crew’ is important to increase to increase one’s sense of belonging and identity.

Consisting of video-led lessons and in-classroom activities that are designed to destigmatise and increase confidence, the video series is hosted by TikTok sensation JasmineTXO and showcases some of Australia's most inspiring content creators alongside our footballers. Capturing all voices within the community, the series also features Ned Brewer-Maiga from Hawthorn's blind football team, Finn Broadbent from the Hawks'; wheelchair side as well as Pala Kuma from Richmond's VFL team and Joanna Lin from Casey's VFLW side.

Implementation support

• Ongoing helpdesk, email or phone support

Evidence

The innovative digital program to decode youth mental health and wellbeing was developed by Matterworks with research from Murdoch Children's Research Institute. Read more here.