From resilience to wellbeing: Identity‐building as an alternative framework for schools’ role in promoting children’s mental health

Abstract

This paper explores schools’ new role in promoting children’s mental health, as a key focus for policy makers across the global north. An education policy analysis is conducted for England and Australia, two nations advocating a ‘bottom‐up’ approach to mental health promotion, granting flexibility to schools and municipal authorities. Here it is argued that a common policy lexicon is evident where key concepts—wellbeing, resilience, character—are constructed on taken‐for‐granted assumptions. These are argued to be limited by an emphasis upon the individual constituents of mental health, which is contrasted against a broader conception of wellbeing, evident in recent non‐governmental international policy. Empirical data is then presented from two separate studies in England and Australia, where young peoples’ perspectives are used to arbitrate the efficacy of the policy construction of wellbeing, in canvassing a relational and social identity approach as a viable alternative. Both studies privilege the voices of young people on wellbeing and identity, with findings from England highlighting that the dominant schooling narrative of resilience perceived by students, misses the ontological and social dimensions of their wellbeing. Research with Indigenous young people in Australia is then evaluated for the affordances generated by identity building and affirming programmes in schools. Notwithstanding cultural differences, common aspects were evident across both datasets, revealing the centrality to young people of self‐authenticity, relatedness, and connectedness to nature, as key to their wellbeing. The paper concludes in advancing a set of principles to underpin a relational and social identity approach to schools’ wellbeing promotion strategy.

Comparing early leaving across Spain and England: variation and commonality across two nations of high and low relative early leaving rates

“…This is because the most significant personal challenges; low self-esteem, motivations, aspiration and a negative learner identity are all tackled primarily through young peoples' relationships with peers, teachers, family and members of the community (see Olmos and Gairín 2021, in this special issue). Such a focus fits with a policy shift requirement that moves away from an atomised and individualistic focus and towards an emphasis on schools' role in building children's social connection to the community and participation in society (see Brown and Shay 2021). Such a sea change would place at centre stage the recognition that young people's educational trajectories require the concerted efforts of educationalists and policymakers in going beyond the instrumental dimension of learning, to address the elements that support young people's engagement with education; young people's sense of belonging, confidence as learners; and aspirations where investments in education and achievement lead to success in the labour market and social inclusion.…”

Expressions of identity by Aboriginal young peoples’ stories about historical trauma and colonisation within the Gamilaroi Nation

“…Further scholarship within the identity space is emerging, particularly in relation to responding to what seems to be a global mental health crisis among young people, particularly in how policy and governments respond to young people's identities, beyond the limited categorisations of race, sexuality, and gender (Brown & Shay, 2021). Reviewing the complexity of identity with Aboriginal young peoples is balanced on responding to the relational aspects of their identities, which is dependent on the social interactions with others and how they see themselves within these spaces.…”

“…Reviewing the complexity of identity with Aboriginal young peoples is balanced on responding to the relational aspects of their identities, which is dependent on the social interactions with others and how they see themselves within these spaces. Positive social interactions strengthen young peoples' personal resilience and self-acceptance (Brown & Shay, 2021). Where social interactions for Aboriginal people is also not just dependent on individual performances, but how socially, interactions can reflect and represent the relationships they hold within their families and communities (Brown & Shay, 2021).…”

“…Positive social interactions strengthen young peoples' personal resilience and self-acceptance (Brown & Shay, 2021). Where social interactions for Aboriginal people is also not just dependent on individual performances, but how socially, interactions can reflect and represent the relationships they hold within their families and communities (Brown & Shay, 2021).…”

“…This highlights that much of what is known about identity and the expressions of identity in the social, political and cultural contexts for Aboriginal people is outside of Aboriginal ways of knowing, being, and doing (Shay & Sarra, 2021). Further, Brown and Shay (2021) state that the health and education space is saturated with research undertaken by non-Indigenous researchers, often problematising Aboriginal young people, their identities, and their experiences in colonised systems. Rewriting these narratives with Aboriginal young peoples’ voices is crucial (Smallwood et al, 2022).…”