Students’ mental health is strongly linked to their engagement, achievement, and school attendance.
Awhi Mai Awhi Atu Counselling in Schools is an initiative which began in 2021 with the aim of providing evidence-based counselling support in primary and intermediate schools, to help young people thrive at school.
Skylight is the largest provider of Awhi Mai Awhi Atu school-based counselling in Aotearoa, delivering services in partnership with the Ministry of Education across 32 schools located in the South Canterbury, Waikato, and Wellington regions.
Findings from the Education Review Office (ERO) evaluation highlight a range of strongly positive outcomes from the Counselling in Schools programme. Students who receive support demonstrate significant improvements in psychological wellbeing, with lasting positive effects.
Notably, the greatest gains are observed among students experiencing the highest levels of distress, indicating the programme’s effectiveness in reaching and supporting those with the most critical needs.
Feedback:
The learning support team have been bringing in students who are socially anxious to meet with me as drop-ins to see if they will feel comfortable in the therapy room - all have been keen to move forward with a referral. I attribute this to the calming powers of plasticine! School Counsellor
A parent emailed to thank me for my work and said she has seen a huge difference in her child since doing the counselling. School Counsellor
Kaiako (teachers) have commented that they’ve seen an increase in attendance from ākonga that have accessed counselling. Teachers
During the painting with music, one of the tamariki whispered, “I didn’t know colours could make you feel better”. Te Korowai Programme Facilitator
There were moments of pride when tamariki added feathers to the korowai. It started to mean something to them – they touched it with reverence, like it had power. Te Korowai Programme SWiS