Objective:
To provide access for teachers to a range of resources that support Years 7-9 Rich Task #2: Improving Wellbeing in the Community.
'Wellbeing' is interpreted to mean more than physical health or welfare. One magazine site 
, for example, takes it to mean the promotion of '...an achievable goal, not just natural healing from disease, but to reach beyond, to a state of grace: mental acuity, physical stamina, emotional balance and spiritual harmony'.
For the purposes of this Rich Task, four major topics have been identified, mainly in the areas of physical and emotional health:
Description:
This list provides a starting point for resources to support Years 7-9 Rich Task #2: Improving Wellbeing in the Community. Resources have been grouped under the following headings:
These links open in new browser windows.
Professional associations, community members or organisations able to provide expert information and advice on topics related to the Rich Task.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
http://www.aihw.gov.au/
This is Australia's foremost provider of information on health and welfare, and the site can be searched for information on topics such as Aged care, Cardiovascular health and Homelessness. Students will find statistics here to support the need for involvement in particular initiatives, such as immunisation programs.
Department of Local Government and Planning
http://www.dlgp.qld.gov.au/
Apart from the Local Government Directory, which students will find useful for identifying services locally, the site offers to schools and students a free 'Your Neighbourhood' game, which is intended to explain the role of local governments to students.
Queensland Health
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/
This Queensland Department of Health site provides information on services and resources of the department on a wide range of topics, including drugs, sexuality and pregnancy. Community Public Health Rural and Remote Program (CAPIR), is a source of information on local communities that students will find useful for locating existing services and groups.
Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation
http://www.qorf.org.au/
This site contains information on topics and resources for all involved in outdoor recreation. It lists various types of outdoor recreation, from ballooning to water skiing. Students may be able to find ideas on this site that will contribute to solving community wellbeing problems.
QueenslandWeb
http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/qldweb.htm
Students can search the QueenslandWeb under 'environment' to find local groups with interests in reducing pollution, saving endangered species or ensuring community welfare in the face of development; for example, The Burnett Catchment Care Association , which has projects including: The restoration of riparian vegetation in Three Moon Creek 'both as a haven for Native Plant Genetic Material and as a corridor for Native Wildlife Movement'.
Sport and Recreation Queensland
http://www.sportrec.qld.gov.au/
This government site aims to increase Queenslanders' awareness of the value of sport and recreation to wellbeing, social, personal and economic. Students will find ideas in the Schools get active section for improving their school welfare, such as 'Have a physical activity or physical education noticeboard'.
Community infonet: Department of Families
http://www.families.qld.gov.au/index.html
This page of the Department of Families site concentrates on issues which students will find relevant to the wellbeing of the community, particularly issues of child care and safety and youth: for example, 'Communities plan, develop and deliver effective responses to the needs of young people'.
Australian Injury Prevention Database
http://www.sph.uq.edu.au/ipg/aipd/progs0.asp
This database, maintained by the University of Queensland's Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, can be searched for programs throughout Australia aimed at preventing injury; for example, 'Falls in children: Playgrounds', which is in process in some NSW schools. Students may like to consider some of these programs for their task, in cooperation with a community group or government body.
Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/
The Queensland Government site contains a lot of sections relating to community wellbeing, in particular 'Sustainable Queensland', of which one of the objectives is: 'to enhance individual and community wellbeing and welfare by following a path of economic development that safeguards the welfare of future generations'. Students will find in this site some stimulus to action about a local environmental issue.
Understanding water resource planning
http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/wrp/pdf/general/u_wrp.pdf (new window) 
590k
The Department of Natural Resources and Mines issued this document to help communities plan the use of water resources in response to the Water Act 2000, which aims to ensure that 'water is equitably managed to preserve our quality of life and our aquatic ecosystems'. Students in all areas should find the planning of water consumption a worthwhile challenge.
Beyond Blue: The national depression initiative
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/
The site aims to educate the public about depression by describing the common symptoms, causes and treatments. This important topic on community life and wellbeing could provide outlets for school activity in cooperation with relevant local health bodies.
Cairns Bicycle Users Group
http://cairnsbug.org/
This is a community organisation looking after the wellbeing of a particular group of people, cyclists. Other groups can also offer community-school liaison to enable students to become involved in working for community wellbeing, for example, The Pedestrian Council of Australia: a voice for the walking class.
Department of Primary Industries
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/
Searching this site using 'wellbeing' produces a number of pages dealing with wellbeing in rural areas, which will provide useful ideas for school involvement in community programs. 'Building sustainable and profitable rural industries', for example, contains many ideas for improving rural wellbeing, especially economic.
The Laceweb - Self help healing action
http://www.laceweb.org.au/
This 'family and community healing movement', contains a variety of resources which students may find useful in deciding on community activities. This movement began in a cooperative water conservation method, 'keyline', a precursor to permaculture, and is also now concerned with helping the healing of minority groups and forming 'therapeutic communities'. Some people may consider this a new age movement, but it contains much of value for 'wellbeing'.
Sample Health and Physical Education program - Level 3
http://education.qld.gov.au/tal/tips/docs/01546c.doc (new window) [an error occurred while processing this directive] 
This TIPS (Teaching Ideas and Practices) unit provides a sample program that addresses the core learning outcomes of the Health and Physical Education strand 'Promoting the health of individuals and communities' for level 3. It contains a range of activities relevant to improving wellbeing in the community, for example, safety issues such as snake awareness programs and conducting a survey on drop-off/pick-up area traffic rates.
Young people at risk program
http://www.aifs.org.au/ysp/pubs/bull3boddy.pdf (new window) 122k
This report outlines the strategy of the Queensland Government's program to prevent suicidal and self-harming behaviour among young people aged twelve to twenty-four. Queensland Health's thirty-eight District Health Councils could offer a chance for schools to be involved in cooperative programs, if this is considered a priority in the area.
KidSolutions: Guidelines and resources for problem-based learning activities
http://www.andrewseaton.com.au/
This well-organised site provides the framework and resources for a 'problem-based curriculum' designed to cater both to individual student needs and to assessable outcomes. Students will find much useful information on the processes of solving problems which can be adapted to any situation, including working with a community group to solve a wellbeing problem.
Planning skills: How to plan complex tasks
http://www.mindtools.com/planpage.html
This Mindtools page contains articles on planning, including six steps in the 'planning cycle' and some templates of plans for business and marketing. There are also some useful procedures like the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats). Even though it is aimed at businesses, the site will be useful for children in their planning for community involvement.
Problem solving
http://education.qld.gov.au/tal/tips/hot_topics/01596.htm 
This Curriculum Exchange Hot topic lists websites and TIPS items that will help teachers to structure problem-solving activities as a prelude to the tasks involved in improving the welfare of the community.
What is evaluation?
http://www.sil.org/lingualinks/literacy/ReferenceMaterials/GlossaryOfLiteracyTerms/WhatIsEvaluation.htm
These pages give a brief and useful account of evaluation, what it is and the two types: Qualitative and Quantitive. Students will need to consider elements of these types when evaluating their collaboration with the local community group in their program to improve wellbeing.
Comprising non-website resources available from a variety of sources.
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILIES, YOUTH AND COMMUNITY CARE 1997, Just like me, just like you: disability awareness kit. Brisbane.
The kit focuses on raising awareness of the nature of a large range of disabilities and on promoting positive attitudes in school communities for the benefit of all concerned. Students may find catering to the needs of people with disabilities a topic for collaboration with a community group.
WATTS, Vivienne 1997, Responding to child abuse: A handbook for teachers, Rockhampton: CQU Press.
'Most child abuse is perpetrated against school age children'. This teacher handbook argues for early intervention in suspected child abuse cases and summarises the teacher's role in the statutory child protection area. Where child abuse is considered an issue, teachers may find this manual useful for arranging a collaborative program to combat it.
AccessEd Curriculum Library online catalogue
http://nslib.qed.qld.gov.au/oau-olclib/webinqu.dll?
Book resources can be found and borrowed from the AccessEd Curriculum Library by Queensland teachers who are registered borrowers.
In the shadow of the chimney: People and industry in Melbourne's western suburbs. A10818960
Two citizen groups from Footscray and Altona in Melbourne, have campaigned against the siting of petrochemical plants, steel mills and factories in or beside residential areas. This program documents the problems and potential dangers caused by industry and how united community action can influence governments and companies to be accountable for the wellbeing of residents and environments.
What you should know about wellness. A10818537
This video looks at improving and maintaining mental and physical wellbeing through a healthy lifestyle. It combines interviews, animation and a quiz to present an informative, entertaining program which discusses diet, exercise and the ill effects of tobacco and alcohol. Includes teachers guide, poster and booklet.
AccessEd Video Library online catalogue
http://nslib.qed.qld.gov.au/oau-fvlib/webinqu2.dll?
Video resources may be borrowed from the AccessEd Video Library by Queensland teachers who are registered borrowers.
denotes sites available to AccessClub
users only.
Other resources for Years 7-9 Rich Task #2: Improving Wellbeing in the Community may be found by searching the Curriculum
Exchange collections
, the Library Services collections
or the Internet. The following criteria listed under Keywords and/or Subject are
suggested search terms:
Curriculum level:
Lower Secondary
Audience:
Teacher; Student
Keywords:
Wellbeing; Collaborating; Action planning; Project management
Subject:
Public health; Mental health; Problem solving; Recreation; Local issues; Community action; Community development; Community programs; Community cooperation; Curriculum materials
Dewey number:
361
Source:
New Basics Project, Education Queensland
April 2002
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© The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts) 2002.