<NAME OF SCHOOL>
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
0
Introduction
One of the first tasks for the action team is to develop an implementation plan. The MindMatters
implementation plan template provides a structure for documenting and tracking implementation
actions relating to working on a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. This plan will
enable the action team to maintain a record of its planning and implementation journey. Information
can be entered directly into each section, saved and amended as plans are reviewed and/or changed.
The implementation plan is divided into the following areas:
1. MindMatters framework overview
2. School information and context
3. Action team details
4. Component planning
5. Making it happen.
Implementation Plan | 1
MindMatters framework overview
The MindMatters framework has four core components important to student mental health and
wellbeing. Each component contributes significantly to a whole school approach that supports mental
health and wellbeing.
The target areas and objectives for each component can be used to inform and guide planning.
Components
Target areas
Objectives
C1 Positive school
community
1. Developing a whole
school approach
School leadership understand the MindMatters framework model and how they can lead
MindMatters in their school.
Component 1 is all about
the big picture. How do we
define mental health? How
do you develop an effective
whole school plan to
improve mental health and
wellbeing? How can you
use data to improve your
decision-making? How do
you create a positive school
community? This
component helps you plan
for targeting mental health
in your school.
School leadership develop and implement strategies for integrating mental health and
wellbeing into everyday policy and practice.
School staff understand the importance of mental health and wellbeing, its impact on
student participation, learning and academic outcomes and the contributions schools
make to supporting student mental health.
School staff understand the value of a whole school community approach to addressing
student mental health and wellbeing.
2. Relationships, belonging
and inclusion
School staff understand that positive relationships, a sense of belonging and inclusion are
important for a positive school community.
Relationships, belonging and inclusion are addressed in school planning, policies and
practice.
School leadership identify and implement specific strategies to strengthen relationships,
belonging and inclusion including opportunities for students staff, families to be involved
in a range of school activities and contribute to school planning.
The diversity within the school community is reflected in school communication and
environment.
C2 Student skills
for resilience
3. Resilience approaches
and programs
School staff understand the typical challenges students face during adolescence and the
type of skills they require.
Students understand the typical challenges faced during adolescence and the type of
skills they require.
Adolescence can bring very
distinctive challenges.
Component 2 is all about
how you build the capacity
of young people to respond
to the stressors in their
lives, and how you can
create a context in which
students can drive their
own mental health agenda.
Schools understand the range, type and evidence-base of programs available to support
student resilience.
Students participate in evidence-based skills-based programs within regular school
curriculum.
School leadership plans and coordinates effective program delivery across the school.
School staff provide information to parents about the school’s skills development
programs and seek to work collaboratively with parents to assist skill development.
4. Student empowerment
and mental health
Schools implement youth-led student empowerment processes to develop skills for
resilience.
School staff are able to support student skill development through their daily
interactions.
Implementation Plan | 2
Components
Target areas
Objectives
C3 Parents and
families
5. Information support
Schools provide parents with regular information about youth development and
emerging youth mental health issues and effective parenting approaches.
Component 3 looks outward
from the school itself to the
wider community of parents
and families. How can these
people be folded into the
school’s mental health strategy
so that issues are addressed
early and effective action is
taken?
C4 Support for
students
experiencing
mental health
difficulties
Whereas the other three
components of MindMatters
focus on prevention,
Component 4 takes a closer
look at detection and early
intervention. What should
school staff be looking for?
When should they be
concerned, and how should
they respond? And how can
schools link to appropriate
support so that students
experiencing difficulties get the
help they need and remain
engaged in school?
Schools actively promote available programs and services that support the
mental health and wellbeing needs of students and families.
6. Skills for effective
communication
School staff have knowledge and skills for communicating effectively with
parents on youth development and/or mental health issues.
School staff have skills for initiating conversations with individual parents if
worried about their child’s emotional health.
7. Recognising and
responding to students
experiencing difficulties
School staff have a shared understanding of their role (including boundaries), in
supporting students experiencing mental health difficulties.
School has policies and processes for recognising and responding to students
experiencing mental health difficulties, including strategies to help students
remain engaged in their schooling.
School staff understand the main mental health difficulties experienced by
adolescents and key factors involved in their emergence.
School staff can recognise mental health warning signs in students and know the
process for facilitating support.
School staff have knowledge and skills for initiating conversations with students
they are worried about.
Students recognise mental health warning signs and know where help can be
accessed.
Students have knowledge and skills for initiating conversations with peers they
are worried about.
Students have knowledge and skills for obtaining adult support when helping
peers.
8. Pathways and programs
Services and programs for students experiencing ongoing mental health
difficulties are actively promoted across school community.
Schools have effective linkages with external agencies that support young people
and their families including shared policies and procedures.
Information on internal and external pathways and programs that support youth
mental health are actively promoted across the whole school community.
The school seeks to work collaboratively with families and professionals who are
involved in caring for their student’s mental health and learning.
Implementation Plan | 3
School information and context
School type
Education sector
State/territory
MindMatters school contact
PAI project officer
List elements from your current school vision, mission statement, strategic plan or school policies
that may connect or support student mental health and wellbeing.
School vision or mission
Strategic plan/school improvement plan targets
Relevant school policies
Implementation Plan | 4
Action team details
The action team comprises key members of the school community who work collaboratively to lead,
plan and implement MindMatters in the school. List action team members and their roles in the space
below.
Name of action team leader
Executive school leadership
Faculty leaders
School support staff
Teachers
Parents
Community agencies
Students
Other representatives
NOTE: Is there fair and equal representation of the school community on your action team?
Action team mission statement
Write a succinct statement that identifies who you are as an action team, what you do, for whom
and why you do it. How does this mission fit with the school vision?
Implementation Plan | 5
How to undertake component planning
Component number and name
Target area number and name
Target areas
and objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Summarise
what your
data is saying
about your
school.
Establish specific
goals that relate
to data summary
statements e.g.
we will
undertake/
implement….
Circle your priority objectives
Each objective from
the target area is
listed here to guide
discussions and
planning.
After analysing your
data, circle the one(s)
that are being
prioritised in your
school.
These scores are
the top results
that address the
objectives. Each
survey reports
results for
individual
questions, but
also highlights
the top result for
each target area.
Write the target
area top results in
this column.
Check-up:
Staff:
Parents:
Indicators
Things to look
and listen for
that will show
small steps of
success and
progress
towards each
goal.
Strategies
Specific action
to be taken
across the
school.
Tracking progress
of each goal
Once a term undertake
a quick check of where
you are up to in terms
of progressing each
goal.
Not commenced
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Progress stalled
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
On track
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Completed
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Students:
Other:
Implementation Plan | 6
Component planning
C1
Positive school community
TA1 Developing a whole school approach
Target areas
and objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Circle your priority objectives
School leadership
understand the
MindMatters framework
and how they can lead
MindMatters in their
school.
School leadership develop
and implement strategies
for integrating mental
health and wellbeing into
everyday policy and
practice.
School staff understand
the importance of mental
health and wellbeing, its
impact on student
participation, learning and
academic outcomes and
the significant
contributions schools can
make to supporting
student mental health.
Check-up:
Staff:
Parents:
Students:
Other:
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Indicators
Strategies
Tracking progress
of each goal
Not commenced
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Progress stalled
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
On track
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Completed
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
School staff understand
the value of a whole
school community
approach to addressing
student mental health and
wellbeing.
Implementation Plan | 7
C1
Positive school community
TA2 Relationships, belonging and inclusion
Target areas
and objectives
Circle your priority objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Indicators
Strategies
Tracking progress
of each goal
School staff understand
that positive relationships,
a sense of belonging and
inclusion are important for
a positive school
community.
Relationships, belonging
and inclusion are
addressed in school
planning, policies and
practice.
School leadership identify
and implement specific
strategies to strengthen
relationships, belonging
and inclusion including
opportunities for students
staff, families to be
involved in a range of
school activities and
contribute to school
planning.
The diversity within the
school community is
reflected in school
communication and
environment.
Implementation Plan | 8
C2
Student skills for resilience
TA3 Resilience approaches and programs
Target areas
and objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Circle your priority objectives
School staff understand the
typical challenges students
face during adolescence
and the type of skills they
require.
Check-up:
Students understand the
typical challenges faced
during adolescence and the
type of skills they require.
Students:
Schools understand the
range, type and evidencebase of programs available
to support student
resilience.
Students participate in
evidence-based skills-based
programs within regular
school curriculum.
Staff:
Parents:
Other:
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Indicators
Strategies
Tracking progress
of each goal
Not commenced
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Progress stalled
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
On track
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Completed
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
School leadership plans and
coordinates effective
program delivery across the
school.
School staff provide
information to parents
about the school’s skills
development programs and
seek to work collaboratively
with parents to assist skill
development.
Implementation Plan | 9
C2
Student skills for resilience
TA4 Student empowerment and mental health
Target areas
and objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Circle your priority objectives
Schools implement youthled student empowerment
processes to develop skills
for resilience.
School staff are able to
support student skill
development through their
daily interactions.
Check-up:
Staff:
Parents:
Students:
Other:
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Indicators
Strategies
Tracking progress
of each goal
Not commenced
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Progress stalled
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
On track
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Completed
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Implementation Plan | 10
C3
Parents and families
TA5 Information support
Target areas
and objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Circle your priority objectives
Schools provide parents
with regular information
about youth development
and emerging youth mental
health issues and effective
parenting approaches.
Schools actively promote
available programs and
services that support the
mental health and
wellbeing needs of students
and families.
Check-up:
Staff:
Parents:
Students:
Other:
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Indicators
Strategies
Tracking progress
of each goal
Not commenced
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Progress stalled
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
On track
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Completed
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Implementation Plan | 11
C3
Parents and families
TA6 Skills for effective communication
Target areas
and objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Circle your priority objectives
School staff have
knowledge and skills for
communicating effectively
with parents on youth
development and/or mental
health issues.
School staff have skills for
initiating conversations with
individual parents if worried
about their child’s
emotional health.
Check-up:
Staff:
Parents:
Students:
Other:
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Indicators
Strategies
Tracking progress
of each goal
Not commenced
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Progress stalled
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
On track
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Completed
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Implementation Plan | 12
C4
Support for students experiencing mental health difficulties
TA7 Recognising and responding to students experiencing mental health difficulties
Target areas
and objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Circle your priority objectives
School staff have a shared
understanding of their role
(including boundaries), in
supporting students
experiencing mental health
difficulties.
Check-up:
School has policies and
processes for recognising and
responding to students
experiencing mental health
difficulties, including strategies
to help students remain
engaged in their schooling.
Students:
School staff understand the
main mental health difficulties
experienced by adolescents and
key factors involved in their
emergence.
Staff:
Parents:
Other:
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Indicators
Strategies
Tracking progress
of each goal
Not commenced
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Progress stalled
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
On track
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Completed
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
School staff can recognise
mental health warning signs in
students and know the process
for facilitating support.
School staff have knowledge
and skills for initiating
conversations with students
they are worried about.
Students recognise mental
health warning signs and know
where help can be accessed.
Students have knowledge and
skills for initiating conversations
with peers they are worried
about.
Students have knowledge and
skills for obtaining adult support
when helping peers.
Implementation Plan | 13
C4
Support for students experiencing mental health difficulties
TA8 Pathways and programs
Target areas
and objectives
MindMatters
survey scores
Circle your priority objectives
Services and programs for
students experiencing
ongoing mental health
difficulties are actively
promoted across school
community.
Schools have effective
linkages with external
agencies that support
young people and their
families including shared
policies and procedures.
Information on internal and
external pathways and
programs that support
youth mental health are
actively promoted across
the whole school
community.
Check-up:
Staff:
Parents:
Students:
Other:
Data summary
statement
Specific
implementation
goals
Indicators
Strategies
Tracking progress
of each goal
Not commenced
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Progress stalled
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
On track
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
Completed
T1 T2 T3 T4
   
The school seeks to work
collaboratively with families
and professionals who are
involved in caring for their
student’s mental health and
learning.
Implementation Plan | 14
Making it happen
SUSTAINING
How can we sustain engagement and interest? Use these questions to brainstorm ways to engage
the school community.
Why do we need to change?
Who do we need to involve?
Where do we want to be?
How will we celebrate achievements?
How will we sustain our work as a team and as a school community?
COMMUNICATING
How will we create shared ownership of the plan and implementation of MindMatters? Use these
questions to create your overarching communication strategy.
How will we communicate the plan to the wider school community?
How will we promote shared ownership of the plan?
How will we regularly communicate with the school community about our progress?
When a target or goal is achieved how will we promote these school achievements?
Implementation Plan | 15
ACTION TEAM TO-DO LIST
Use the following to guide and maintain planning and action within each component.
C1
Positive school community
Task
Who
e.g. Maintain leadership
engagement
Leadership representative
<name>
By when
Ongoing
C2
Student skills for resilience
Task
Who
By when
Who
By when
C3
Task
C4
Task
Parents and families
Support for students experiencing mental health difficulties
Who
By when
Implementation Plan | 16