You Are a Hero

A solution by Buddy Bench submitted to School communication tool

We offer a learning pathway for pupils and teachers to develop awareness and capabilities for mental and emotional wellbeing. Educational approaches that facilitate a child’s social and emotional development have been shown to be powerful tools in promoting interethnic tolerance and respect for diversity. (EU, NESET II report, 2016)

(Pitched: 15/04/2018)

One Page Summary

Our culture has, for the most part, not supported the healthy expression of emotional states, verbal or otherwise.
The problem begins in childhood. Lacking positive role models for healthy expression, many children fail to develop emotional literacy and instead deal with feelings through oppression (silencing, institutionalisation, etc) and/or repression (self-censorship, poor communication skills, etc).

Research tells us that emotionally competent individuals, however “are more aware of their emotions and more able to regulate them … have richer social connections and are able to demonstrate better coping strategies … can sustain a better sense of well-being
Emotional competence was found to be a significant predictor of academic success … [and] students with better academic achievements have better management of emotional dimensions including interpersonal, intrapersonal, adaptability, and stress management.
… adolescents who are more emotionally competent are found less aggressive [and] more likely to develop new coping strategies …
(Lau and Wu, 2012, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3361327/)

The Buddy Bench Ireland solution:
Providing all children and young people with a peer group-based, age-appropriate, social and emotional learning opportunity focused on well-being, self-awareness and the appropriate expression and reception of feelings, centred around the permanent visual reminder of a ‘Buddy Bench’, to support a cultural shift towards increasing tolerance and resilience:
empowering a generation of children to create a world where it’s OK – i.e. normal, natural, easy and fun  to express yourself.

“You Are a Hero” (Grade 5), “Wellness Warrior” (Grade 8) and “Wellness Guardian” (Adults) are unique mental wellbeing programs that transmit to learners the tools and resources, support and encouragement to take charge of their own feelings, thoughts and mental wellness. We want to inspire young people to “Look Up, Look Around, Look Out for Each Other” by creating a pathway to adulthood that identifies achievable competencies in mental and emotional wellbeing, and resources young people to achieve those competencies. The pathway culminates in the ambition to become a Wellness Guardian, a role which is modelled by teachers and other adults in the school setting.

Through workshops and resources for the pupils, training and supports for the teachers and school, and an online portal for educational resources, these programs educate about wellbeing for young people and creates common understanding around such topics as:
- knowing yourself
- understanding feelings, how they arise and how we experience them
- how mindchatter affects feelings
- useful behaviours for positive mindset
- friendship - listening
- being a role model and becoming an everyday hero!

You Are a Hero builds on the foundations of the original Buddy Bench Aware and Little Buddies Programs. These age-appropriate programs recognise the evolving developmental needs of children and develop over time the core competencies of empathy, creativity, mindfulness and communication, promoting a child-led culture.