"It is the Church on the streets where the Spirit wants us to be and where we feel his unique presence in almost every encounter" says Keenan.

Keenan, a proponent of the new evangelisation - which calls all Catholics to be evangelised and then go forth to evangelise - was able to answer this call by sharing "the joy of the Gospel" at Inverclyde's train station.

The Rail Pastors

The Rail Pastors and their bright blue uniforms have been active at Scottish stations in Fife, Inverclyde and Paisley for several years.

Their mission is "to listen, care and help travellers who otherwise might feel a little unsafe or needing a helpful person to chat to".

If need be, they send people to relevant agencies for further support. They are awake particularly to the real possibility that some people may be suicidal, Keenan says.

Based on a similar scheme in Barnet (near London), which led to a marked reduction in suicides and suicide attempts, the Scottish group teamed up with Ascension Trust, BTP, Police Scotland and Scottish Business Resilience Centre.

They provided training for Rail Pastors to patrol and provide additional public reassurance in unstaffed stations or locations synonymous with reported suicide incidents.

In Scotland, one in six young adults aged 18-34 have self-harmed and 76 percent of parents have reported that their child's mental health deteriorated while waiting for professional mental health support.

Reflecting on the Rail Pastors' mission

After spending a Friday evening last month with Rail Pastors and reflecting on their mission, Keenan said:

"Uniformed as Rail Pastors, they engaged passengers of all ages - from teenagers to seniors - creating a little bit of community and warmth on a dark and wet Scottish autumn night."

He sees the Rail Pastors as offering "a safe and reassuring presence to the young people who appreciate this pastoral care even while they are making merry".

For himself, he said the evening gave him the opportunity to reach out to young people.

"A group ...recognised me from my visit to their Catholic primary school, while they were preparing for the sacrament of confirmation, and we had a nice conversation" the bishop recalled.

"Another asked me to pray for her mum. They were amazed to see me engaging with them in this role.

"In the station bar, a young man recognised me and ... he opened up about his faith and his parents' deep Catholic convictions. Our meeting made his day, and he got off the train renewed in faith and spirit."

Keenan also met retired police officers, transport police and rail safety officers.

"By midnight we had been six hours out and about as salt, leaven and light and, where the occasion allowed, sharing the joy of the Gospel" he said.

Source

• Catholic News Agency

A University of Otago, Christchurch study found more than 60 percent of participants from the Christchurch Muslim community suffered from mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression in the wake of the attacks.

At least 250 survivors were present in the mosques, 51 people were killed and another 40 sustained non-fatal gunshot injuries, when a white supremacist gunman opened fire during Friday juma'a (congregational) prayers on March 15, 2019. Read more

From surveys to reports, the statistics on young people's mental health seem to depict a generation in distress—sad, anxious and discouraged.
Professor Ludovic Gicquel, head of the child and adolescent psychiatry department at Laborit Hospital in Poitiers, western France, sees this daily.
"We're dealing with serious adolescents who have lost their carefree spirit."

What's causing this?

Some psychiatrists blamed the harmful effects of screens and social media, while others pointed to the harshness of the times—wars, climate change, and distressing news stories.

All agree that the situation worsened starting in 2020, around the time of COVID-19, although the pandemic alone doesn't explain the scale of the problem.

"The mistake we made was blaming COVID too much. The health crisis is behind us, but the numbers haven't gone down," said Gicquel. He believes that the anxiety of this generation reflects that of society as a whole.

"We, as adults and health professionals, are also struggling. How could the youngest not be affected?"

A growing interest in psychology

"It's not that young people are more worried than before—everyone is," added Doctor Xavier Pommereau, a psychiatrist for adolescents and young adults in Talence, Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwest France.

"But young people are still developing. They're more sensitive and vulnerable."

Is it fair to talk about a psychiatric epidemic? Perhaps not.

"Some key indicators can't be ignored, especially the increase in suicide attempts," said David Gourion, a psychiatrist in Paris and author.

"But just as some parents tend to downplay severe psychological distress in their children, others dramatize what may just be a passing phase.

Ask a teen how they are, and they often say they're doing badly. Adolescence is inherently a time when one can feel tortured and may even express it."

Child psychiatrist Dr. Stéphane Clerget also noted an increase in consultations. "Personally, I don't see this as an aggravation of distress but as a growing interest in psychology and psychiatry.

Today's young people know there's someone to listen to them, and they seek that help more often," the doctor said.

The "obvious" challenges in psychiatry

Parents often feel helpless in aiding their children, whether it's minor or major distress. Many also feel responsible for their child's struggles.

"Responsible, yes, but not guilty," clarified Pommereau, emphasising the importance of the family environment.

"As an adult, the first reflex should be to consider any potential upheaval. Separations are one such event and can sometimes lead to acting out, with the adolescent hoping their parents will reconcile at their bedside.

"Proactively seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist, even for just one or two sessions, can have a protective effect."

The challenge is knowing where to turn when most child and adolescent mental health centers are overwhelmed.

"The difficulties in the sector are clear, but France has one of the highest densities of psychiatrists and child psychiatrists in Europe," said Gourion.

He believes the real issue lies in prevention, which should happen before Further reading: Pandemic takes toll on mental health in Bangladesh

"When we talk about young people's mental health, we often forget about prevention, yet you don't need to be a psychologist to do that. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers—these are the people who are in the best position to help," Gourion said.

Additionally, Doctor Clerget pointed out, "Nowadays, it's mostly parents whom children confide in, partly due to new parenting styles. They know every little worry their children have and get alarmed."

This trend can lead to overprotection.

"We must accept that zero risk doesn't exist, and it doesn't align with the level of risk adolescents need," said Gicquel.

"For this reason, I'm not sure it's advisable to buy a smartphone for a sixth-grader just to track their location." This practice is increasingly common and problematic, as it "invites the digital wolf into the fold," Gicquel continued.

"We shouldn't demonize screens, but just as there are endocrine disruptors, there are developmental disruptors that we should try to protect young people from, and smartphones are part of that."

As usual, it's all about balance.

"What's problematic is a teenager spending six hours on a couch with a tablet. This digital overload means we overstimulate the brain while under-stimulating the body, but both need to develop in tandem," said Gicquel.

"We need to dare to set limits," said Clerget. "In the 1960s, parents worried that their kids spent too much time outside; today, they don't go out enough. But they need to get out, be in nature, and talk with friends," he said, highlighting the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Rehabilitating conversation and connection

In short, seeking professional help isn't always the first step, and neither are medications.

Clerget expressed concern about the significant increase in prescriptions for psychotropic drugs—antidepressants, anxiolytics, and others. "It's madness," said the doctor, who believes "this reflects an inability to address psychological problems through conversation, interaction, and changes in the patient's environment."

Rehabilitating conversation and connection is the primary recommendation from these psychiatrists, who remain "resolutely optimistic." Paradoxically, social media platforms like TikTok can sometimes be their greatest allies.

"There's a partial but real movement to destigmatize mental health issues on these platforms," observed Gicquel.

"Celebrities have shown young people that you can be a huge star and still have psychological vulnerabilities. They save more lives in three minutes than we do in a year."

• First published in La Croix

Handling of mental health callouts will start transitioning from a police-led response to a health-led response from November 1.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) mental health section chairwoman Helen Garrick said they have seen the police plan for the shift but have not heard anything about how health services are proposing to fill the void. Read more

"

The psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung famously claimed to have seen almost no practicing Catholics in decades of clinical practice.

Others have failed to replicate this result, but the idea that religious practice has some meaningful impact on mental health persists.

For Jung, speaking in 1939, the world could be divided into two categories: those who practiced a religion (which for Europeans of Jung's era primarily included Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism) and those who did not. Any serious contemporary consideration of this question, however, would need to introduce a third category.

Many people today reject "organized religion," but do not quite identify as secular either.

They report having a spiritual life while disavowing any particular religious practice. They are, in a phrase, "spiritual but not religious."

This fact introduces a new question for psychology: What are the mental health benefits of this spiritual attitude?

One might reasonably suppose that they are positive.

After all, many people who take this attitude engage in practices that are widely held to be beneficial to mental health, such as meditation, even if they do not accept the background theology of Buddhism or other major religions that encourage meditative practices.

This spiritual orientation is also a part of 12-step programs that encourage individuals to find their own "higher power," outside the bounds of traditional religious belief.

So, one might think that this kind of spiritual orientation to the world is associated with positive mental health.

Mixed research results

The empirical literature on this question, however, is decidedly more mixed.

Consider an important 2013 study in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

The authors consider data from approximately 7,400 individuals in England.

Of these, most identify as either religious or as non-religious and non-spiritual, but about a fifth (19 percent) identify as spiritual but not religious.

The prevalence of mental disorders in the first two groups (the religious and the non-religious non-spiritual) is roughly the same, but the spiritual but not religious are different: Among other things, they are significantly more likely to have phobias, anxiety, and neurotic disorders generally.

In short, being spiritual but not religious is a significant predictor of mental distress, compared to the general population.

This correlation between spirituality without religiosity ought to give us pause, in part because it is confirmed by subsequent studies.

For example, one more recent study (Vittengl, 2018) finds that people who are more spiritual than they are religious are at greater risk for the development of depressive disorders.

As I said, all this is very puzzling.

What explains these somewhat dispiriting findings?

And what lessons should we draw from it?

Three caveats

To begin with, we should note three caveats or complications.

First, as the authors emphasize, these findings say nothing about cause and effect.

It could be that spiritual practices outside of traditional religion are a cause of mental distress.

Or it equally well could be that people in mental distress seek out spiritual but non-religious practices.

Or it could be that these two phenomena—being spiritual but not religious and experiencing mental distress—are common effects of some shared cause.

Second, many people do not seek their spiritual orientation, in the first place, because of its mental health benefits.

People who are drawn to spirituality while rejecting traditional religious frameworks are in the first place pursuing their own spiritual values, rather than seeking mental health.

So these correlations should not, on their own, lead anyone to doubt their own spiritual convictions.

Third, as all of the authors discussed above acknowledge, these correlations remain very poorly understood.

This is partly because we are stuck in a dichotomous way of thinking about spirituality—on which people are religious or not religious—that the introduction of a third category remains something of a novelty.

Furthermore, this third category remains poorly understood, in part because "spirituality" itself admits so many different understandings. Continue reading

• John T. Maier, Ph.D., MSW, received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Princeton and his MSW from Simmons University. He is a psychotherapist in private practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

All profits will be donated to the I Am Hope Foundation.

The auction aims to raise significant funds for the I Am Hope Foundation mental health charity which supports New Zealand's youth.

Auction to fund mental health services

The house is expected to fetch between $1.775 and $1.8 million at auction, with hopes that generous buyers will help maximise the donation.

McGirr hopes to see a strong turnout from potential buyers, particularly those who are in a position to contribute significantly.

"I'd really like a couple of well-heeled Aucklanders to come down and pay top value" McGirr told Stuff.

Mike King praised the efforts behind the initiative, calling the project "incredible".

"We are truly amazed by the generosity of Fowler Homes and their support for the work we do at I Am Hope, especially at a time when so many kids are struggling" King said.

"Our goal is to ensure that every young person knows that support is available and they don't have to face their challenges alone."

Generous support for I Am Hope

The house, built by Fowler Homes Queenstown, is the result of collaboration between more than 50 businesses providing materials and services.

The project began when Jason and Jen McGirr of Fowler Homes were inspired by Mike King, the founder of I Am Hope, during a radio segment discussing the charity's struggles with funding.

"He was sharing all the problems they had in raising enough funds to provide the incredible service they do to improve mental health in our young people.

"When you have a bloke crying on air, you know it's for real" McGirr said.

The McGirrs, who have children themselves, decided to act and enlisted businesses to support the project.

Business community rallies together

The McGirr's efforts resulted in more than 50 suppliers coming on board to help build the house. "Nobody said no when I asked" Jason McGirr stated.

"People have been so generous, although I did turn away some of the smaller trades who were the sole income earners for their families."

Prominent backers included Burton Partners which offered legal services pro bono, and Nexia accountants who joined immediately.

John Bolton of Squirrel [an investment and mortgage company] also contributed early on with funding, alleviating much of the financial stress associated with the project.

Source

• Stuff

The legal action claims the current exclusion of mental illness from the Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) programme is discriminatory under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The challenge comes amid ongoing debates and delays regarding the inclusion of mental illness as a qualifying condition for euthanasia.

Currently, Canada's MAID programme, legalised in 2016, permits euthanasia for individuals with physical illnesses, diseases or disabilities. However, those suffering solely from mental illness are not eligible, with the government planning to expand eligibility to include mental illness by March 17, 2027.

DWDC argues that the delay in expanding MAID to include mental illness violates Section 15 of the Charter, which mandates equal treatment under the law.

Helen Long, CEO of DWDC, highlighted the need to recognise the suffering of individuals with mental illness as equally devastating as physical suffering.

"All capable adults must be respected in their decisions and their choices honoured" said Long.

Contentious move

The expansion of euthanasia to include mental illness has been contentious.

Initially set for 2023, the expansion was postponed to 2024 and then to 2027 due to concerns that the healthcare system was unprepared for such a change.

Critics, including the Catholic Church in Canada, argue that expanding euthanasia to mental illness undermines human dignity and could lead to vulnerable individuals being pressured into ending their lives.

In May 2023, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed concerns that the expansion could predispose individuals with disabilities to suicide, citing instances where people felt pressured to choose euthanasia due to inadequate support and care.

"A patient diagnosed with a terminal condition or living in a situation of prolonged suffering must be offered whatever life-affirming relief and hope are available" the bishops stated.

The debate over euthanasia in Canada reflects broader ethical and legal challenges associated with end-of-life decisions.

Critics warn that economic incentives might drive government officials to promote euthanasia over providing comprehensive care.

Jimmy Akin, a senior apologist at Catholic Answers, cautioned against viewing euthanasia as a solution to mental health struggles, saying the need for compassionate care and support are paramount.

Source

• CNA

Although it is well documented men are less likely than women to talk about feelings and to seek help, our research found men's work arrangements can be a significant contributor.

We found loneliness was highest among men in their late 40s but it also occurred at other times, often shaped by how they perceived their careers and income.

This suggests the workplace and societal expectations around work are important in men's experiences of loneliness.

Measuring loneliness

Our findings are based on an analysis of yearly data from 12,117 Australian men, aged 15 to 98, collected for over 19 years for the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey.

We measured loneliness by examining men's responses to a question asking whether they agreed with the statement: "I often feel very lonely". The responses range from one (completely disagree) to seven (completely agree).

We then used statistical techniques to ensure we were measuring loneliness and not similar constructs, such as social isolation.

We also used methods that examined how much of men's loneliness was uniquely due to their social relationships (for example, their romantic relationships or friendships), versus other aspects of their lives, such as their living situation or their working arrangements.

The role of work

Given loneliness is a social problem, we were not surprised to find problems in men's social relationships, particularly their romantic relationships, friendships and family relationships were linked with loneliness.

However, we were surprised to see work also played a significant role.

Men who were unemployed or in insecure jobs experienced more loneliness than those with stable employment.

Job loss can impact a person's identity and limits the social connections work typically provides. Unemployment also limits income, making it harder to afford social activities.

Insecure "gig" work, with its often unpredictable and long hours spent alone, disrupts work-life balance and can isolate people.

Our research suggests societal expectations also worsen loneliness for some men.

We measured the degree to which men agreed with the statement: "It is not good for a relationship if the woman earns more than the man".

Men, particularly middle-aged men, who believed they should be the main breadwinners in a household were lonelier than those without this belief.

This suggests traditional views around work in the context of heteronormative relationships can be damaging to social connection.

This once mainstream view not only harms relationships but is also unrealistic when surviving on a single income is increasingly difficult for many households.

Men who believed men, not women, should be the main breadwinner were more lonely. Marion Weyo/Shutterstock

Improving men's personal relationships is only one way to reduce male loneliness. The work sector and social pressures around work should also adapt

Shifting social norms

Public stereotypes that make men feel solely responsible for household income need to shift.

Public awareness and education campaigns can help shift gender norms and stereotypes by building knowledge and awareness, and may therefore reduce loneliness.

Helping men attain better work-life balance can help everyone.

Such change, however, requires major cultural shifts which take time. A shorter term solution, particularly for men at retirement age, is volunteering.

Volunteering provides purpose and opportunities to socialise, although recent evidence suggests volunteering has not returned to pre-COVID levels.

How governments can help

Increasing casualisation of the workplace and the growth of the gig economy offer flexibility but also decrease job security. Our research shows job insecurity or unemployment rates contribute to male loneliness.

Government amendments to the Fair Work Act should help reduce job insecurity by allowing the Fair Work Commission to set fair minimum standards,.

These would include access to dispute resolution for "employee-like" workers, such as Uber drivers, who work through a digital platform.

Governments can also support activities of interest to men by ensuring regular funding for programs like Men's Sheds or opportunities to work with animals.

Social prescribing - where a GP or other health worker links patients with resources and activities to improve health and reduce loneliness - can also involve men in roles which best fit their needs and interests.

How employers can help

Thankfully, workplaces can do a lot to reduce loneliness. A recent review suggests employers can:

1) Create opportunities for social connection, for example, dedicating time for non-work activities such as designing communal areas in offices to support connection.

2) Support flexible and remote, potentially isolated workers by fostering workplace connections using virtual spaces such as online dinners, while still encouraging work-life balance.

3) Foster a people focused culture by building employee autonomy, tolerating mistakes and providing mentoring opportunities.

The relationship between managers and workers is especially important for well-being, because managers can shape working conditions, model positive behaviour and improve staff knowledge, but few interventions target this area.

• First published in The Conversation
• Marlee Bower is a Research Fellow, Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney
• Ferdi Botha is a Senior Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne
• Mark Deady is a Senior Research Fellow, Black Dog Institute, UNSW Sydney

Called Fau Gagana - a Samoan nurse's perceptive on mental health, provides general information, as well as interpretations on mental wellbeing from a Samoan perspective.

Auckland University of Technology's nursing lecturer, Dr Ioana Mulipola, says the idea for the podcast came about while she was completing her doctorate in 2023.

"It's an accumulation of my years of experience working in clinical practice. What I observe and my experience working with our people in clinical practice that when I identify what I observe, there's a great need for understanding the language. Read more

Here it is: the danger that social media poses to our young people.

Surgeon General's warning

In the words of United States Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy (pictured):

"The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor.

"Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours.

"Additionally, nearly half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies."

"It is time to require a surgeon general's warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.

"A surgeon general's warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe.

"Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behaviour.

"When asked if a warning from the surgeon general would prompt them to limit or monitor their children's social media use, 76 percent of people in one recent survey of Latino parents said yes.

"The rest of society can play a role also.

"Schools should ensure that classroom learning and social time are phone-free experiences.

"Parents, too, should create phone-free zones around bedtime, meals and social gatherings to safeguard their kids' sleep and real-life connections — both of which have direct effects on mental health.

"And they should wait until after middle school to allow their kids access to social media.

"As a father of a six- and a seven-year-old who have already asked about social media, I worry about how my wife and I will know when to let them have accounts.

"How will we monitor their activity, given the increasingly sophisticated techniques for concealing it?…

"It doesn't have to be this way.

"Faced with high levels of car-accident-related deaths in the mid- to late 20th century, lawmakers successfully demanded seatbelts, airbags, crash testing and a host of other measures that ultimately made cars safer…"

The anxious generation

The surgeon general's warnings echo what Jonathan Haidt described in his book "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness."

These warnings have resonated.

This past week, California Governor Gavin Newsom called for a statewide ban on smartphone use in California schools.

This is part of a national effort to curb cyberbullying and classroom distraction by limiting access to the devices.

Do not accuse Surgeon General Murthy, Haidt and Governor Newsom of being Luddites, of being anti-technology.

Rather, commend them for noting the public health challenges to our children.

Commend them for their courage as culture warriors, showing a willingness to push back against our society's worship of technology — to the point of addictive behavior. Many of us know that addiction, up front and personal.

In my recent book on the future of liberal Judaism in America, I quoted David Zvi Kalman:

"In 2010, the University of Maryland conducted a study of almost a thousand participants to measure the psychological effects of abstaining from all electronic communication devices for twenty-four hours.

"The results were discouraging: many participants experienced withdrawal-like symptoms, including anxiety, cravings, and general misery. The majority were unable to complete the study."

Likewise, there are spiritual health implications.

If you are Jewish, attend worship services on Yom Kippur and notice how many sins we confess are sins of language: for the sin of tale bearing and gossip and lying and deceptive speech, etc.

They are all found in that little piece of hardware in our hands.

As has been said over the centuries: "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."

In the cyber world, it takes a nano second. And it is there forever.

Make new friends

Which reminds me of one of the finest works of Jewish literature that I have read lately.

The book is "The Hebrew Teacher," written by Maya Arad and translated by Jessica Cohen. It is a trilogy of novellas that focus on the lives of Israelis living in Silicon Valley.

The last novella, "Make New Friends," ripped me apart.

Libby, an adolescent girl, is not popular. She discusses the social psychology of mean girls with her mother, Efrat: "The ones who are nice aren't popular … The more popular you are, the more not-nice you are."

Some of the popular girls pay attention to Libby, but their friendship is inconsistent, and they often exclude her. What is Libby's problem? She doesn't have a smart phone. Roni, Efrat's friend, admonishes her:

"You're really doing her an injustice. It's no wonder she's struggling socially. Everything happens on phones these days. How can you even expect her to be in touch with someone if…"

"But if I give her a phone she'll never get off it!"

Roni laughs.

"Efrat, what planet are you living on? That ship sailed long ago. This is our world. You want a kid without a smartphone? Join an ultra-Orthodox sect."

Libby needs a phone, and she needs to be on social media.

In one of the most devastating passages of any book that I've read recently, Efrat discovers that her daughter's friends have been mercilessly tormenting her in that cyber-jungle.

It is the kind of torment that has driven some young people to self-harm and even suicide.

Efrat hacks into her daughter's account:

She has to go in. To protect her little girl. These are the truly dangerous places. Who cares about some pervert from Australia or North Dakota? It's much scarier right here, close to home, in her own school.

Efrat retaliates, and fights back.

There are many treasures in this book, and it is well worth your time.

Technology's everywhere

But, I am part of the problem. We all are. I will post this column and link to it on Facebook and hope that many people read it, and heed it, and that it will go viral.

Metaphor check: "viral." As in a plague.

For me, as for most of you, the answer will not lie in an utter rejection of our devices nor of the internet nor of social media. We might more easily imagine a world without water or air.

But, at the very least, a religious temperament might mean questioning our utter reliance on such technology.

We could create islands of time, like the Sabbath or Sunday, when we would liberate ourselves from technology and being more self-aware of how we use our tools, which have become our toys.

And, for the sake of our young people: They, like all of us, are made in the Divine Image. Which means they deserve utmost care, concern and dignity.

That rabbinic statement that has become a cliche: "Whoever saves one life, it is as if they have saved the entire world."

If regulating access to social media will save the life of one kid, it will be worth it.

• First published in Religion News Service
• Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin is recognised as one of the most thoughtful Jewish writers and teachers of his generation.

Recent data showed one in five young people aged 15 to 25 were experiencing higher rates of psychological distress than other aged groups.

Collated by the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Te Hiringa Mahara, the assessment also showed Maori, disabled and LGBTQIA+ youth had poorer mental wellbeing than other young people.

Director of wellbeing insights and leadership Ella Cullen said the assessment showed a continuous decline in the mental health of young people since 2018.

"At the same time, young people are less likely to get professional help for their mental health needs when they need it." Read more

It will increase the service's current contracted counsellor pool from 555 to about 855, which will help provide up to 160,000 free counselling sessions for people aged between 5 and 25 over the next four years.

King joined Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters for the announcement at Parliament today.

It honoured the promise made in the coalition agreement between National and NZ First to fund Gumboot Friday by $6m per year.Mike King's Gumboot Friday counselling service for young people will receive $24 million over four years as part of the Government's upcoming Budget.

It will increase the service's current contracted counsellor pool from 555 to about 855, which will help provide up to 160,000 free counselling sessions for people aged between 5 and 25 over the next four years.

King joined Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters for the announcement at Parliament today.

It honoured the promise made in the coalition agreement between National and NZ First to fund Gumboot Friday by $6m per year. Continue reading

Loafers Lodge did not have a fire sprinkler system. It was not required to by law.

Five men died. Eighty-two people lost their homes. Some lost all their possessions.

People were concerned, shocked, grieving.

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge told RNZ after the fire that he hoped Wellington would change forever.

"The benchmark or threshold I use ... is that if I wouldn't live there myself or allow a member of my family to live there, then it's not suitable for anybody else."

Review findings

A Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment review into 37 buildings like Loafers Lodge (a boarding facility at least three storeys tall, without sprinklers) found more than 100 concerning issues.

The review found these boarding houses were on average 60 years old. Most were not built for accommodation purposes. Sixty-nine percent had issues with safety systems including non-working smoke detectors and unmonitored alarm systems.

A Wellington City Council audit report in June 2023 found 25 buildings like Loafers Lodge in Wellington.

Of these, 21 had a current building warrant of fitness. One had never had one; three did, but they were not current.

Fire and Emergency's substantive review has not yet been released.

In September, Cabinet approved harsher penalties for building owners who did not have building warrants of fitness.

Who really cares?

Whatever ideas people might have had and whatever laws have been passed for the upgrading of accommodation standards and safety, it's clear not every landlord will carry them out.

For some tenants, nothing's changed - or even likely too it seems, if an an Auckland property investor's experience is anything to go by.

After buying a tenanted Auckland halfway-house, Joanne Chaplow was shocked to find there was no real oversight on standards of accommodation, care or landlords despite a government ministry paying the bills.

Without any background in mental health care, Chaplow accompanies tenants to the doctors, assists with medical decisions, administers prescription drugs and helps some manage their money.

"If I was an unscrupulous landlord, they [tenants] could be totally taken advantage of... No-one is checking on me."

She says when she bought the lodge she immediately set about improving the conditions.

"Some of the mattresses had springs coming out the top. There were pillows and bedding ... I wouldn't have let my dog sleep on."

Tenants say before Chaplow became involved they would sometimes get just noodles and cereal to eat. She provides hot meals daily.

They're happy, she enjoys being with them and her accommodation is exemplary, she's told.

"I've been told by mental health nurses that my lodge is among the best. How can that be? I have absolutely no experience" Chaplow says.

Meanwhile, Loafers Lodge remains unchanged after the fire.

Housing and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced another review of fire safety regulations.

Edridge says he's not satisfied progress has been made.

Source

• RNZ
• Stuff
• RNZ

Speaking to TVNZ's Sunday, King, known for his endeavours in the mental health area including the I Am Hope charity, said, "It's just another bureaucracy getting money, clipping the ticket, before they pass the money on to someone else.

"This is exactly the sort of bureaucracy we need to get rid of." Read more

Despite the increasing recognition of its importance, a comprehensive understanding of how school belonging impacts long-term mental wellbeing has remained elusive.

New adolescent mental health study

Our new study investigating school belonging and mental health outcomes in adulthood aimed to address this gap in knowledge.

It planned to examine the enduring effects of school belonging on the mental health trajectory from adolescence into adulthood.

School belonging, as defined by Goodenow and Grady, refers to the extent to which students feel personally accepted, respected, included, and supported in their school environment.

This concept encompasses students' positive feelings towards their school, the quality of their relationships with teachers, and their sense of social value among peers.

Shedding light on the long-term effects

While the immediate benefits of school belonging to mental health are well-documented, its long-term effects haven't been thoroughly explored.

Our recent study, conducted through a collaborative effort from Monash University, Deakin University, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and the University of Melbourne, has shed light on this issue.

The research involved more than 1,500 young adults, drawing from one of Australia's longest-running population-based studies on socioemotional development.

It specifically examined how school belonging at the age of 15-16 influenced mental health outcomes at later life stages, specifically at ages 19-20, 23-24, and 27-28.

The findings of this study are revealing.

Higher levels of school belonging at the age of 15-16 were associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress in young adulthood.

This association underscores the significance of adolescent school belonging as a protective factor against future mental health issues.

The implications of these results are profound.

They highlight the need for sustained interventions and programmes that not only address school belonging.

They would also extend their influence beyond the educational setting to foster positive engagement in various life domains during the transition to adulthood.

The timing of these findings is critical, given the increasing emphasis on belonging as a key educational trend by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The OECD points to belonging as a means to counteract the rising trends of loneliness, social isolation, and mental health problems in many societies.

Lasting impact on wellbeing

The long-term follow-up of individuals in the Australian Temperament Project, which underpinned this study, provides a unique and significant contribution to the evidence base.

It shows how experiences of school belonging have lasting effects on young adults' wellbeing.

The research also highlights the importance of school belonging as an intervention target for lasting impacts on mental health.

As schools and communities navigate the challenges faced by today's youth, initiatives that enhance students' sense of acceptance and respect within the school environment are paramount.

These initiatives not only contribute to immediate mental health benefits but also lay the foundation for ongoing positive mental health into adulthood.

Further, the study reinforces the notion that schools are pivotal environments for mental health prevention and promotion.

As places where young people spend a significant amount of their time, schools have the opportunity to create environments that promote a sense of belonging and, in turn, support mental health.

This approach is especially crucial for vulnerable young people who may not have supportive conditions elsewhere.

Taking preventative measures

In light of these findings, it's clear that to prevent mental health issues in adulthood, efforts must start early, particularly in school settings.

Promoting school belonging and student wellbeing can act as a preventative measure against various vulnerabilities, including adverse home conditions.

This underscores the role of educational institutions not just as places of academic learning but as critical settings for fostering mental wellbeing.

The study was conducted by Monash University, Deakin University, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and the University of Melbourne.

It represents a significant step forward in understanding the complex relationship between school belonging and long-term mental health.

It provides valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals, emphasising the need for integrated approaches that address the multifaceted aspects of school belonging.

The impact of school belonging on long-term mental health wellbeing is a crucial area of research that warrants further attention.

As the evidence base grows, it becomes increasingly clear that initiatives aimed at enhancing school belonging can have far-reaching effects on the mental health of young people.

The challenge now is to translate these findings into practical strategies and interventions that can be implemented across educational settings to foster environments where all students feel valued, supported, and included.

• First published in Lens. Republished with Monash University's permission
• Kelly-Anne Allen is an Associate Professor, School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Education at Monash University

The report, Nga Tukunga Iho - The Things We Inherit, offers an annual assessment of the country's social progress - this year especially -

• children and youth
• housing
• crime and punishment
• social hazards
• work and incomes

Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson, The Salvation Army's Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit director, notes the new government has inherited a mix of successes and obstacles from its predecessor.

He emphasises the impact current policies will have on future generations and the responsibility to foster a better living environment for all New Zealanders.

While the report acknowledges significant progress has been made in recent years - reductions in child poverty, an increase in social housing units, sustained low unemployment - it also points to worrying trends.

These trends include the deepening cost-of-living crisis hitting lower-income households hardest. Rising rental costs are outpacing inflation and there are overall increases in food insecurity and financial hardship.

The State of the Nation report is unequivocal in its call for the new Government to take decisive action.

Hutson stresses the need to build upon the progress achieved and to adopt successful strategies to navigate the challenges ahead.

Concerns for Maori wellbeing

One of the report's key findings pertains to Maori wellbeing.

Persistent inequities affecting Maori in education, housing, employment and the criminal justice system need to be addressed, it says.

To achieve this, the report advocates for the importance of resourcing kaupapa Maori approaches to enhance well-being for whanau, hapu and iwi.

Children and Youth

The report's Children and Youth section has both positive and negative news.

On the plus side, it rates child poverty reduction as a significant achievement.

However, it also notes poverty's disproportionate impact on Pasifika, Maori, and children living with disabilities. It stresses the need for targeted efforts to meet Government poverty reduction targets.

The report also states that young people continue to tell of high levels of mental distress.

Housing

The report's Housing section paints a grim picture of unaffordability and homelessness. This is exacerbated by a decline in new housing consents and a surge in inward migration, it says.

The report calls for an urgent increase in public housing supply to address the growing backlog.

Crime and Punishment

In terms of Crime and Punishment, the report indicates an overall increase in reported and unreported crime and notes that violent offences are increasing.

Enhancing access to housing, employment, education and social services would be more effective in reducing crime than implementing harsher punishments, the report suggests.

Social Hazards

The Social Hazards section notes a positive decline in alcohol and drug consumption.

At the same time, it points to rising gambling losses and signs of increased financial hardship. One such indicator is the increasing number of calls for early KiwiSaver withdrawals on the grounds of financial hardship.

Work and Incomes

Under the heading Work and Incomes, the Salvation Army State of the Nation report highlights the continued high levels of employment but raises concerns about the rising unemployment and the persistent wage inequality affecting women and ethnic minorities.

It says high inflation is putting pressure particularly on low-income households. Furthermore, food insecurity for households with children has increased.

Source

• Supplied: The Salvation Army
• The full report is available from the Salvation Army.

Some schools are coping - like eight Catholic schools in Dunedin - but only after stretching out their hands to their communities.

They're now getting funded by the Mercy Charitable Outreach Fund. Meanwhile, Catholic Social Services is helping support the service with management and structure.

But they're the exception.

Dunedin's other 23 schools have had to scrape together funds from a variety of places says India Hughes-Chang from ChatBus South. Many still don't have a service available.

More funding from the Government is vital for the "ambulance at the top of the cliff" to be available to young people, she stresses.

"As an association we've been very concerned about the mental health of secondary school students for many years ..." says the Association of Counsellors' president Sarah Maindonald.

She says the Association has lobbied the Government to increase and tag the staffing so there's a counsellor available in every school in the country.

"We're looking to have a ratio of one counsellor to every 400.

"At the moment, it's very inequitable across the country. Sometimes there's a counsellor for every 1400 students and one to 2000, which is actually a risk."

Counsellors are leaving the profession because of increasing job-related stress, Maindonald says.

She hopes the incoming Government follows through on commitments to improving mental health services and does not get sidetracked into exploring alternatives.

"It's really simple. To have universal access for counselling in schools you add counselling to staffing and you tag it" she said, explaining that would ensure the funding could not be used for other purposes.

"If the government tagged counselling to staffing with a ratio of one to 400 that would make a real difference for youth mental health."

Maindonald said it would cost about $66.5 million to bring the number of school counsellors to 700 and meet the 1:400 ratio.

Post-Covid 19, counsellors say they are also seeing more cases of anxiety and depression.

• Counselling and support

Source

• RNZ
• ODT

Practitioners said New Zealand needed 15 psychologists per 100,000 people to meet demand - equating to 770 full-time workers. But Te Whatu Ora estimated the public sector currently employed about 350 workers.

Ashley Bertelson, 18, said her life was on hold until recently, due to lack of care.

"Anything you think of, it was hard for me to do," she said. "Whether that was walking, opening doors, picking something up or putting something down," Bertelson said.

Eventually, Bertelson travelled to the United States for treatment. She participated in a three-week intensive course and learned to manage her compulsions. She said her entire life changed, but she was disappointed it took so long. Continue reading

Practitioners said New Zealand needed 15 psychologists per 100,000 people to meet demand - equating to 770 full-time workers. But Te Whatu Ora estimated the public sector currently employed about 350 workers.

Ashley Bertelson, 18, said her life was on hold until recently, due to lack of care.

"Anything you think of, it was hard for me to do," she said. "Whether that was walking, opening doors, picking something up or putting something down," Bertelson said.

She was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) four years ago. Continue reading

He "really struggled" during a self-described mental breakdown, saying his prayers "weren't being answered".

But Muller, who will retire from Parliament after this year's election, says hundreds of people reached out to him after he spoke publicly about his mental health struggles.

That shows "maybe there was a plan after all" he says.

Speaking in an interview on Newstalk ZB's Real Life with John Cowan, Muller described his Catholic faith as something "I protect and hold very, very tight".

He found it tested during his brief tenure as leader of the Opposition in 2020. He had been "praying vociferously to be released from the spiral that I was in" to no discernible effect, he said.

"I would pray to be able to get some sleep and couldn't. I'd get two hours of sleep and then wake up and just simply could not go back to sleep.

"It was, frankly, a terrifying slide. I was really struggling with the fact that those prayers weren't being answered.

"But interestingly, now when I look back over the last three years, hundreds and hundreds of people have reached out and talked to me - because they can, through Facebook and in the street and in emails - and I think maybe there was a plan after all."

Muller's opposition National Party leadership in 2020 lasted just 53 days before internal leaks and mental health issues prompted his resignation.

He says his leadership stint and the subsequent public fallout "fundamentally changed me". It ultimately contributed to his decision to leave politics.

"These things aren't like flipping a switch. You don't have a week off and then suddenly it's all back to normal again - it takes a while to rebuild and build up resilience," Muller told Cowan.

"The scale of the roles that you take up if you're sitting around a Cabinet table, and the commitment that you have to give in terms of your energy and your time, I felt was just too much."

At the same time though, Muller says he has been buoyed by the New Zealanders who are encouraged by his openness about his struggles.

"The impact for me of having a breakdown, as severe as it was, and climbing slowly out the other side and being willing to share it, has meant that so many people have reached out," he told Cowan.

"I've had these one-on-one conversations and it's been really powerful for me."

Right now Muller says he feels "pretty peaceful" about leaving Parliament.

He's looking forward to using his "energy and skills to assist people" while "managing a bit of work-life balance at the same time".

Political work is off the agenda altogether.

Source

• NZ Herald