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Open Access College, Adelaide
The Journey from 2003 and Beyond Open Access College (OAC), as a distance education facility, specialises in accommodating students who are unable, for whatever reason, to attend mainstream school. Students who experience depression, anxieties, phobias and are unable to work in mainstream classrooms enrol in OAC to continue their education. Students at OAC can be enrolled at the school for as little as a week or several years, depending on the student?s circumstances.
One of the key aims of OAC involvement in the MindMatters Plus Demonstration project was to invest in their staff. By increasing staff awareness, knowledge and skills they are better able to support and understand the clientele of OAC. The school spends a considerable amount of resources on books about psychology, positive thinking etc, trying to increase the skills and knowledge of staff and its involvement in the MindMatters Plus Demonstration projects is another avenue to support its staff to better understand the wellbeing issues of its students and also increase their own sense of wellbeing.
OAC has recognised the importance of utilising MindMatters and the early intervention and health promotion programs. From the school's involvement in the project the school has noticed that staff are not scared or wary to talk about the student's lives and issues that may be affecting them. Staff feel empowered to talk about issues with students and work closer with students experiencing difficulties. Most of the staff at OAC teach more than one subject and the lessons are not like mainstream schooling ? half an hour on the telephone and then the rest is by mail, or email, or the odd phone call, maybe a visit twice a year. This is restrictive and presents unique challenges for teachers to build meaningful relationships with their students. One challenge the school is addressing is the high number of contract teachers who come into the school. Traditionally the school starts off the year with a small student cohort and this grows throughout the year. As the schools population grows so does the number of contract teachers. OAC works with all of these 'new teachers' to support them, giving them time to understand the different types of early intervention and health promoting programs the school runs and an opportunity to undertake training in these programs and initiatives. OAC has an active group of parents whose children have a wide variety of mental health problems. The school regularly invites these parents into the school so they can talk to the staff about what it means for the families of these students and their study, and how the school can help them. It gives the school and teachers a unique insight into what these students and families are experiencing. Each week, a lesson is timetabled to enable staff to discuss student?s health and emotional wellbeing.
One of the successes arising out of the OAC participation in the MindMatters Plus Demonstration project is the creation of a mentoring program. Mentors have been trained in all the programs that are offered across the school, as well as in mentoring and mentoring strategies. It's been hugely powerful with students. However, the time allocation to this program and the vast geographical spread of the students has presented some unique challenges. The school has developed over the life of the project several resources that can be mailed to students and their families, which enable parents or caregivers to work with the students on wellbeing issues and informs families on what the school is aiming to achieve through its involvement in the MindMatters Plus Demonstration project. RAP-P booklets are mailed to all parents and a modified Year 8 & 9 health and wellbeing curriculum has been developed. This can be purchase from OAC website.
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