ReachOut's new student mental health tool launched to help thousands of young Aussies starting high school next week

24 January 2021

With thousands of Year 7 students commencing high school across the country from next week, Australia’s most accessed youth mental health service ReachOut has launched a new student wellbeing tool which will make the transition from primary school to high school easier and less challenging for students.

Student Snapshot is a free and easy-to-use online survey tool for teachers that covers a range of questions about mental health and wellbeing. The surveys are quick for teachers to set up and simple for students to complete. Teachers can choose a survey to help build relationships with individual students or another focused on the wellbeing of the whole cohort - or both to maximize impact.

Once students have completed the survey, the teacher receives a report about what is going on for their students and links matching them to the most relevant ReachOut classroom resources, helping teachers to focus on wellbeing topics that best meet their students’ needs.

Ashley de Silva, CEO of ReachOut, said that Student Snapshot is an important new tool when it comes to students’ mental health and wellbeing.

“This is an exciting time for thousands of students across the country as they get ready for the first day of Year 7 next week. However, we know that the transition into high school is not always easy. Adjusting to  new environments, different routines and meeting new people can have a significant impact on students’ wellbeing and mental health.

“Student Snapshot responds to a real, and serious, need for improved identification of student wellbeing issues. During our research phase, teachers and educators told us that mental health related issues were the one of the biggest issues faced by their school,” he said.

Claire Goodall, ReachOut Schools Manager and former high school teacher said that the coming months were a critical time for the wellbeing of Year 7 students across Australia.

“Right now is a pivotal time for Year 7 students across the country. Many of these students are facing a range of emotions which can range from excitement, all the way through to fear. Our teachers play a key role in ensuring that students kick off their high school years feeling mentally happy and well.

“The new Student Snapshot tool has been co-designed with both teachers and young people to ensure that it is simple, effective and engaging. Our focus has been on creating something that is easy to use, provides useful insights to guide support and also maintains the privacy of students,” she said. 

Student Snapshot is now available nationally for use in schools as students commence the 2021 school year. For more information, visit ReachOut Schools.

The launch of Student Snapshot is accompanied by the release of a new package of articles and videos for students and parents and carers on the topic of transitioning into Year 7, including a video for young people about starting high school and an article for parents on Helping your teenager prepare for high school (more links provided below).

Content and useful links  

Tools for teachers

• Student Snapshot - Student survey tool

• How to use ReachOut Student Snapshot in Australian high schools

Video for Young People

• Tips for starting high school

Articles for parents and carers

• Things to try: Transition to high school

• Helping your teenager prepare for high school

• How to talk to your teen about starting high school

• How long will it take my teen to settle into high school?

• Transition to high school for teenagers 

Articles for teachers

• How to support new High School students

• Creating a smooth transition

Classroom Resources

• Transition classroom activities 11 x 20-min classroom activities

About ReachOut Schools

ReachOut Schools takes a whole-school approach to student wellbeing. The service features easy-to-understand information on a full range of mental health and wellbeing issues to help school staff support students. Teachers can also access engaging and flexible classroom activities that enable students to take control of their mental health. Additionally, ReachOut Schools offers information for parents and carers, referral options for students, and wellbeing tips to help teachers take care of themselves.

About ReachOut

ReachOut is the most accessed online mental health service for young people and their parents in Australia. Their trusted self-help information, peer-support program and referral tools save lives by helping young people be well and stay well. The information they offer parents makes it easier for them to help their teenagers, too.

ReachOut has been championing wider access to mental health support since they launched their online service more than 20 years ago. Everything they create is based on the latest evidence and is designed with experts, and young people or their parents. That’s why ReachOut is a trusted, relevant service that’s so easy to use.

Accessed by more than 3.6 million people in Australia each year, ReachOut is a free service that’s available anytime and pretty much anywhere.