Driving better mental health in schools

Heartland Bank is helping to sustainably spread the word about mental health and happiness to schools nationwide, by sponsoring the Tania Dalton Foundation’s Resilience Project.

As part of its dedication to developing and supporting rangatahi (young people), this sponsorship is a continuation of Heartland Bank’s efforts to making a positive difference in our communities.

The Resilience Project is simple but incredibly effective. It brings elements of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness into the daily lives of students to support them through significant changes in their levels of happiness.

The funds, granted by the Heartland Trust, have enabled Heartland Bank to provide a fully electric car to enable The Resilience Project, New Zealand Schools Managers, Paula George (‘Georgie’) and the team to visit more schools and deliver practical, evidence-based, positive mental health strategies, which build resilience and happiness.

Georgie, a Former Captain of England’s Red Roses Rugby team, says there is strong demand for the programme with school leaders, teachers and parents looking for ways to strengthen students’ resilience, especially through such turbulent times as COVID-19 and recent significant weather events.

“Through our research we’ve learned that one in four primary and intermediate children are suffering from anxiety, one in four primary and intermediate children are suffering from depression and 17% of primary and 12% of intermediate students are experiencing bullying at school,” said Georgie.

Around 16,400 students are currently being taught The Resilience Project curriculum. Over 10,000 students are completing an online resilience youth survey which will help schools better understand the overall mental health of their students.

Heartland Bank is proud to be able to sponsor The Tania Dalton Foundation in its efforts to make a meaningful difference to the lives of young New Zealanders.

Heartland Bank Chief Executive Officer Leanne Lazarus said, “Heartland Bank is delighted to support The Tania Dalton Foundation with its Resilience Project so they can reach more students and teaching staff, providing unique tools and strategies to help students build resilience and develop healthier minds”.

“This initiative not only aligns with Heartland Bank’s passion for supporting young New Zealanders, it also closely aligns to our dedication to sustainable practices. With access to an electric vehicle, The Tania Dalton Foundation is able to minimise its environmental impact while positively contributing to our communities,” said Leanne.

The Tania Dalton Foundation first introduced the Australian originated Resilience Project programme to four North Shore schools in New Zealand in 2019. It now reaches 49 primary and intermediate schools nationwide across nine regions. It delivers emotionally engaging programmes nationwide and provides evidence-based, practical wellbeing strategies to build resilience.

The vehicle funded by Heartland is a Jaguar I-PACE, which was supplied by Tania Dalton Foundation sponsorship partner Archibald and Shorter, North Shore.