Open Parachute

Prospective users

Aims & approach

Aims: Open Parachute aims to create Generational Change by providing schools with pre-prepared classroom lessons that make it easy to teach practical mental health and Social-Emotional skills to all students.

Approach: The programs contain pre-prepared lessons that teach a Trauma-Informed perspective to students through authentic documentary videos of Australian peers. These videos showcase real students' journeys of overcoming challenges by sharing their lived experiences. This approach aims to provide realistic peer role models to enhance student learning of mental health skills.

Lessons focus on prevention, providing students with the opportunity to practise skills for addressing any current or future challenges that might impact their mental health. In addition to the videos, lessons feature psychological skill-building exercises that focus on either Thought-changing (e.g., changing negative to positive thoughts, building empathy for others, critical thinking about friendships, setting goals), or Behaviour-changing (e.g., setting a boundary, reaching out for help, supporting a peer, trying something new). These exercises also aim to increase empathy, self-compassion, self-awareness, mental health literacy, and self-efficacy in students.

This format provides an effective template for long-lasting changes by ensuring that students are practising both the mental and physical skills needed for healthy mental wellness and success in school and life. The intended outcome of this approach is an increase in skills that build resilience and wellbeing for all students.

The lessons aim to be plug-and-play for educators, requiring minimal preparation while making it accessible to facilitate mental health discussions in their classrooms. In addition to the student voices, the videos provide in-depth psychological knowledge delivered by a clinical psychologist, so that educators are not tasked with the burden of delivering this information. Meanwhile, the exercises aim to help teachers deepen relationships with students and better understand the issues preventing students from engaging in schoolwork and their lives. The lessons also aim to increase Educators' confidence in supporting students' mental health in addition to supporting their own mental health.

For parents and caregivers, lesson handouts and an online platform containing video-based resources are available. These resources aim to boost awareness and psychological skill-building related to mental health issues their children face while keeping them informed of the wellbeing topics their children are learning in school.

Implementation support

• Access to professional facilitator, instructor or mentor
• Implementation training webinars or modules
• Ongoing helpdesk, email or phone support

Evidence

Open Parachute is based on self-determination theory, focusing on the importance of students building autonomy, competence, and relatedness with their peers. It draws on evidence-based clinical psychological frameworks, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavior 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. Lessons also map on to the five CASEL core competencies.