ReachOut, Australia’s leading online youth mental health service, have launched a new COVID-19 study support hub to support the mental health and wellbeing of students across Australia as they negotiate new online learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Across its youth, parents and school services, the study support hub will include free articles and tips for students, and information and advice for parents on how to help their young person develop a routine, maintain motivation and cope with study stress during these unprecedented times.
The hub will also offer support for teachers and provide access to wellbeing lesson plans which are mapped to the curriculum.
According to research by YouthInsight this month, up to 74 percent of students in Australia are worried about the impact that COVID-19 will have on their education which led ReachOut to fast-track the launch of this year’s study support resources in response to new and added pressures placed on students by COVID-19.
CEO of ReachOut, Ashley de Silva, said that a proactive, whole-of-school approach to students’ mental health is essential when it comes to study stress during the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid spikes in student stress levels.
“Students across Australia are worried about how COVID-19 will impact their learning and education, not only this year, but also going forward. Of particular concern are students currently in Year 12 who are already thinking about the implications on their further education and employment.”
In another study conducted by ReachOut in January this year, it was found that nearly 75 percent of young people were already experiencing worrying levels of exam stress, and one in five had extreme stress about exams well before COVID-19 had disrupted schooling.
“We don’t want to see these figures rise due to COVID-19 because unhealthy levels of study stress can have a direct impact on a young person’s mental health,” de Silva said.
Last year ReachOut’s study and exam stress content were viewed more than 50,000 times, which further supports the need to fast-track the launch of the COVID-19 study support hub so that students, parents and teachers can take a proactive approach to this challenge.
All of the support available has been tailored to the specific needs of students right now, in particular with many studying online in their homes, and the new COVID-19 Study Support Hub is an addition to the COVID-19 specific support already available via the service.
You can access the COVID-19 Study Support Hub here.
