1. “RIBS” The Resiliency in Bayside Schools Project
A CHIC funded partnership project
In 2007 a series of chronic disease forums were held in the Brisbane Bayside area identifying youth mental health as a major local concern. A partnership was formed between auspice agency South East Alliance of General Practice Brisbane (SEA-GP) Education Queensland, Queensland Health, and local Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) to address youth mental health. A joint submission was made to Queensland Health under the Connecting Healthcare in Communities initiative to progress this two and a half year project.
This has been a unique partnership between health (including Queensland Health and General Practice) and education sectors (including Education Queensland and local State High Schools) with the aim of promoting and supporting mental health resilience and the well being of students and communities of local State High Schools

2. What is RIBS
RIBS is…..
A partnership project that addresses the identified youth mental health concerns in Bayside
A partnership project that aims to build resiliency in young people
A partnership project that focuses on creating sustainable change
The Resiliency in Bayside Schools (RIBS) Project promotes networks and relationships between local State High Schools, General Practice, Education Queensland, Queensland Health, and local NGOs. Key components of the project include: providing support to local schools to implement a mental health and wellbeing promotion framework using a sustainable whole-school approach (working closely with MindMatters, and in line with the Education Queensland health and wellbeing programs and policies); strengthening relationships between schools and local General Practice; and developing an up-to-date and user-friendly Bayside Youth Services Directory website.

3. How was RIBS implemented?
Key stakeholders engaged and commonalities explored
Schools were offered an opportunity to participate based on our shared goal
Each school chose to utilise the MindMatters framework for whole school mental health and wellbeing
Referral pathways made more efficient – creation of youth directory
Initially we were faced with the fact that the partnering organizations, although sharing the common goal, worked with different strategic direction and agendas, priorities and policies. The common goal identified as improving mental health and resilience and building partnerships lies within the strategic directions and agenda of each participating partner.
The restructure of both Education and Queensland Health districts during the course of the project led to further complication (leading to changes in staff and roles).
In order to ensure the sustainability of change within schools the Project Coordinator has been supporting core school teams to incorporate mental health and wellbeing promotion for staff, students, and families into school policies and procedures. Financial support has been provided to schools for substitute teachers to allow staff to attend training.
The language of health literacy was dissimilar, terms such as mental health, preventative, resilience, health promotion and sustainability were suddenly complex terms and much work has undertaken to create our new common language and understandings
Large proportions of staff in schools have been trained in mental health promotion concepts and tools, including one school supporting nearly 100% of staff (all staff) to attend Level 1 Mind Matters professional development. To date, 219 staff from local schools, mental health services and NGO’s have been involved in Mind Matters PD as part of the RIBS
Base line data for partnership status was collected using a VicHealth partnership tool

4. How was RIBS implemented?
Shared language
Large proportions of staff in schools trained in mental health and wellbeing promotion concepts and tools
In-school support from project officer
Evaluation plan launched
Links developed between schools and GPs/ NGOs/ Bayside Child and Youth Mental Health
Sustainability provisions made
Initially we were faced with the fact that the partnering organizations, although sharing the common goal, worked with different strategic direction and agendas, priorities and policies. The common goal identified as improving mental health and resilience and building partnerships lies within the strategic directions and agenda of each participating partner.
The restructure of both Education and Queensland Health districts during the course of the project led to further complication (leading to changes in staff and roles).
In order to ensure the sustainability of change within schools the Project Coordinator has been supporting core school teams to incorporate mental health and wellbeing promotion for staff, students, and families into school policies and procedures. Financial support has been provided to schools for substitute teachers to allow staff to attend training.
The language of health literacy was dissimilar, terms such as mental health, preventative, resilience, health promotion and sustainability were suddenly complex terms and much work has undertaken to create our new common language and understandings
Large proportions of staff in schools have been trained in mental health promotion concepts and tools, including one school supporting nearly 100% of staff (all staff) to attend Level 1 Mind Matters professional development. To date, 219 staff from local schools, mental health services and NGO’s have been involved in Mind Matters PD as part of the RIBS
Base line data for partnership status was collected using a VicHealth partnership tool

5. Evaluation VicHealth partnership analysis tool
Mater/ UQ Centre for primary health care innovation team
Positive results
Anecdotal evidence to support
High number of trained staff in schools
Immediate benefits
Long term initiatives
The RIBS Partnership is being externally evaluated by the Mater/ UQ Centre for Primary Health Care Innovation. Evaluation data has indicated the value of schools partnering with other schools and external organisations, and has clearly demonstrated the increased focus on long-term mental health and wellbeing promotion as a result of involvement in the project. All schools actively involved have made a commitment to ongoing promotion of mental health and wellbeing using a whole-school framework after completion of this project.
Show slide of the tractor!! And schools photos from mental health week

6. Mental health week celebrations

7. Sustainability Keep on the agenda
Commitment to health and wellbeing, resilience and school communities
Shared responsibility
Policy development
Shared language
Skill development
Mentoring
Communication
Sustainability in terms of how can we keep us the momentum we’ve created, although a little extra funding always assists with the continuation of great projects the reality is that from here on the schools will be more budget limited than they were without additional project funding, other key partners will also have to fit in how they will continue to support the schools as an ongoing arrangement.
Conversation will have to include what schools would like from the partners and realistically what the partners can offer.
So the important aspects in creating sustainability were encouraging the development of skills in the school community, creating a really supportive environment, encouraging everyone in the school community to participate, teaching and other school staff eg, school based youth health nurses, administration, even ground staff have the ability to contribute to an environment that builds and nurtures resiliency.
Whose role is it to keep the intent of the project going?
Sustainability became a regular agenda item during the final 12 months of the project. At the end of the project funding period the schools will become self sufficient taking turns to chair and host the meetings. Administrative support will be provided by the senior guidance officer (maintaining contact lists, sending reminders etc). Sharing information and ideas, providing peer support and mentoring for schools that haven’t been involved with the project from the start and schools that haven’t engaged but may be interested.
Will be working towards MindMatters recognition for round 1 schools (MM will provide ongoing support to all RIBS schools)

8. The future looks bright
“Partnering gives more weight to the value of welfare in our schools.”
– Deputy Principal
“There has been a sense of relief that we are finding a way to communicate and produce some joint outcomes and understanding.”
– Quote from Evaluation Focus Group
We can consider that we’ve achieved a paradigm shift, at least a small one. The onset of the project saw considerable emphasis on addressing the needs of the children that were potentially displaying mental health issues, the work undertaken to improve referral pathways took some priority, clearly children with mental health problems like this should have the support they need as quickly as possible.
We now recognise a shift from addressing those at the pointy end of the stick to a prevention framework, focusing on the whole of school population, teaching and support included, not just the children.
Building the capacity of the school community
to identify problems in the early stages
to develop resilience and coping skills
communicate with one another and their support networks, i.e. the other key stakeholders within the project, family, friends
policy development
“it is pleasing to see staff and students working together in an environment where mental health and wellbeing is high on the agenda” – from Deputy Principal
“I would like to say that I think the project has normalised and legitimised the necessity for health and education to link hands and collaborate around the children they are caring for – that contact between these two spheres of knowledge is mutually beneficial. I have certainly gained a sense of confidence in approaching schools about overall mental health issues.” – from local GP

9. Thank you for your time Presented by: Authors:
Olivia Fisher, Project Coordinator, South East Alliance of General Practice (SEA-GP) (Brisbane)
Authors:
Olivia Fisher, Project Coordinator SEA-GP (Brisbane)
Jenette Blake, Senior Health Promotion Officer, Brisbane Southside Public Health Unit
Veda Fitzpatrick, Senior Guidance Officer, Metropolitan Region, Department of Education and Training
Christine Kardash, CEO, SEA-GP (Brisbane)