September 14, 2024 • 7 mins
A homegrown programme aims to help children become more resilient.
Sir Ashley Bloomfield has launched a new mindfulness practice in schools through Pause, Breathe, Smile.
It comes as Southern Cross's latest Healthy Futures survey shows 60 percent of parents are concerned about their children’s ability to cope with the pressures of life.
He says it's shown to drive more positive behaviours, help children regulate emotions and pay attention.
"You don't just want something that's going to work while the children are in class - but actually, it does endure and it carries over into other aspects of their lives."
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
A recent report into nationwide health and well being has
found sixty percent of parents and concerned about their children's
ability to cope with the pressures of life. But a
free mindfulness program run in schools is looking to help
by building resilience and our five to twelve year olds.
The program is Pause, Breathe, Smile.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
So.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Ashley Bloomfield is mind Health ambassador for the program and
also the voice of a new free online meditation practice,
Good Morning, So Ashually love you to have you with.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Us, kured a good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Were you surprised by that statistic sixty percent of parents
are concerned about their children's ability to cope with the
pressures of life.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I'm not surprised in a sense that parents are concerned.
Are being a parent myself, I mean, we're always My
children are in their twenties now, but I'm always they're
all still on my mind. And I think what we saw,
of course, is that COVID and the experience through COVID
also because of some of those absolutely out of the
ordinary experiences, children had been out of school for long
(01:11):
periods of time, you know, lockdowns and so on, that
did creating and create an environment where children are more
susceptible to being anxious. So in a way, it's not
a surprise, and of course what it means is we've
got to be really feltful then about what we do
about it.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
So that's a good reason as to why that percentage
might be higher than it has previously been in the past.
Just what we've been through over the last five years.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
It is indeed, and what we've seen actually if you
look at the if you look at the data from
around the globe, there's been this increase in sort of
anxiety and concern by young people. And some people have
attached that to the wider use of mobile devices in
particular access to some social media platforms. But whatever has happened,
(01:59):
this is something that has been seeing globally and in
the program. The paulsby Smile program is really trying to
address that. You know, while children are young, even before
they've perhaps got a device, so that while they're a
primary school or intermediate school, they're learning techniques to help
them sort of manage the ups and downs of everyday life.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
So tell me how mindfulness can play a role in
reverse and what we're.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Seeing, well, the great thing about mindfulness as a sort
of a skill, it's easy to learn, you can do
it anywhere and it sort of provides you with a
lifelong technique really, and having been in some classrooms and
watching children participate in these mindfulness sessions, it's just extraordinary
(02:44):
to see just how engaged they are. And the other
great thing here is the studies, the evaluation work that's
been done in New Zealand. This is a home ground
program that's been evaluated now and it just shows this
not just this improvement and sort of the behaviors and
the engagement of children, but that it's enduring. And that's
what we're looking for. You know, you don't just want
(03:04):
something that's going to work while are in class, but
actually it does endure and it carries over into other
aspects of their lives as well.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
How many schools have accessed the Paws Breed Small program
do you know?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yes? So my understanding is now it's over five hundred
schools around the country. Southern Cross took over funding the
program a few years ago and it's now free to
any primary school, curder or intermediate school. Over one hundred
and fifty thousand kids have now enjoyed or participated in
the program, and we're seeing the numbers continue to grow,
(03:38):
which is great.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
I mean, would you urge more to do this? Do
you think you know it's going to be helpful in
all schools?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Well, I think all schools. Schools are looking at programs
or ways they can support their students not just with
their learning, but actually to sort of navigate the challenges,
the ups and downs of life. And this is a
probe program. There are others. But the good thing about this,
as I said, it's a homegrown Kiwi program, It's got
(04:05):
a good in space behind it, and increasing number of
schools are using it. And one of the other aspects
of it it's really good is it seems to the
benefits seem to apply to all groups, so Marty kids
specific kids and non Martin Nonpacific kids as well.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And I wonder when they were sort of evaluating it,
were they noticing that kids were taking home, going home
and taking this information and sharing it within the home
as well.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Absolutely, we know kids are a good way to inform
their parents. They both observe what their parents do and say.
But the other way around too. They are a great
channel for getting information and learning from school into the home,
and they often like to go home and talk to
their parents about what they've been doing that day. So
we've seen good support from parents as well.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
That's good to hear because with the education system the
way it is, I'm sure there's a few parents out
there that would like them to be focusing on their
reading and their writing and things like that.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Well. Absolutely, And of course, you know, the great thing
here is that the follow up evaluations say they show
here that children are more engaged in the classroom following
use of the program, So it's kind of you could
say it's enhancing their ability to learn those basics for
three hours even better.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Actually, if parents are interested but their school isn't offering
this program, are there resources they can access or do
they need to urge the school to get involved.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Well, a couple of things there. It's course always good
to encourage the school, either individual class teachers or the
principal or through the board. But there are resources online.
There's a Pause Breed Smile website, and there's also an
app with some sort of mindfulness sessions on it for
both children and for adults. So when I do my
(05:53):
mindfulness sessions, I'm not as probably as assiduous about doing
it every day as I should be. But you can
listen to just someone taking you through a short session,
even five or ten minutes can be really helpful. And
there are so there's the pores Breed Smile app And
as I say, there are sessions for both children and
for adults.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
You say, you're not as maybe consistent as you'd like
to be with your own mindfulness and your meditation, But
what do you get from it? What have you noticed
it's contributed to your life?
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Yeah, well I really noticed that once I finished as
threat to general health, and I've had, you know, it
had been a pretty high stress time and I've had
quite big chief executive roles for a while. I had
this period of really just sort of dialing back, winding
down a bit, and I found the mindfulness was useful
then and it is now just to help me get
(06:43):
set for the day, to sort of get my mind
and that's more calm place so that whatever comes up
during the day, you're just in a better headspace really
to deal with it.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
And to celebrate Mindfulness Day this week, you've recorded a
free meditation that people can access just in case they're
one little bit of actually Blomfield in their daily lives.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Again, well, yes, I'm sure that some people may want
to do that, Others definitely not. Probably not one I'll
be using, but I hope it's useful for some people.
It's on the pause Breed Smile app and yes we
put that together for Mindfulness Day which was on Thursday
last week, and I do hope that's a benefit for
as many people who want to use it.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Really nice to talk to you. Thank you so much
for your time this morning. That was Ashley Bloomfield. They're
talking about Pause, Breathe, Smile and if you head to
that website you'll be able to find all those resources there.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudgin, listen
live to News Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
A recent report into nationwide health and well being has
found sixty percent of parents and concerned about their children's
ability to cope with the pressures of life. But a
free mindfulness program run in schools is looking to help
by building resilience and our five to twelve year olds.
The program is Pause, Breathe, Smile.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
So.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Ashley Bloomfield is mind Health ambassador for the program and
also the voice of a new free online meditation practice,
Good Morning, So Ashually love you to have you with.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Us, kured a good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Were you surprised by that statistic sixty percent of parents
are concerned about their children's ability to cope with the
pressures of life.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I'm not surprised in a sense that parents are concerned.
Are being a parent myself, I mean, we're always My
children are in their twenties now, but I'm always they're
all still on my mind. And I think what we saw,
of course, is that COVID and the experience through COVID
also because of some of those absolutely out of the
ordinary experiences, children had been out of school for long
(01:11):
periods of time, you know, lockdowns and so on, that
did creating and create an environment where children are more
susceptible to being anxious. So in a way, it's not
a surprise, and of course what it means is we've
got to be really feltful then about what we do
about it.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
So that's a good reason as to why that percentage
might be higher than it has previously been in the past.
Just what we've been through over the last five years.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
It is indeed, and what we've seen actually if you
look at the if you look at the data from
around the globe, there's been this increase in sort of
anxiety and concern by young people. And some people have
attached that to the wider use of mobile devices in
particular access to some social media platforms. But whatever has happened,
(01:59):
this is something that has been seeing globally and in
the program. The paulsby Smile program is really trying to
address that. You know, while children are young, even before
they've perhaps got a device, so that while they're a
primary school or intermediate school, they're learning techniques to help
them sort of manage the ups and downs of everyday life.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
So tell me how mindfulness can play a role in
reverse and what we're.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Seeing, well, the great thing about mindfulness as a sort
of a skill, it's easy to learn, you can do
it anywhere and it sort of provides you with a
lifelong technique really, and having been in some classrooms and
watching children participate in these mindfulness sessions, it's just extraordinary
(02:44):
to see just how engaged they are. And the other
great thing here is the studies, the evaluation work that's
been done in New Zealand. This is a home ground
program that's been evaluated now and it just shows this
not just this improvement and sort of the behaviors and
the engagement of children, but that it's enduring. And that's
what we're looking for. You know, you don't just want
(03:04):
something that's going to work while are in class, but
actually it does endure and it carries over into other
aspects of their lives as well.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
How many schools have accessed the Paws Breed Small program
do you know?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yes? So my understanding is now it's over five hundred
schools around the country. Southern Cross took over funding the
program a few years ago and it's now free to
any primary school, curder or intermediate school. Over one hundred
and fifty thousand kids have now enjoyed or participated in
the program, and we're seeing the numbers continue to grow,
(03:38):
which is great.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
I mean, would you urge more to do this? Do
you think you know it's going to be helpful in
all schools?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Well, I think all schools. Schools are looking at programs
or ways they can support their students not just with
their learning, but actually to sort of navigate the challenges,
the ups and downs of life. And this is a
probe program. There are others. But the good thing about this,
as I said, it's a homegrown Kiwi program, It's got
(04:05):
a good in space behind it, and increasing number of
schools are using it. And one of the other aspects
of it it's really good is it seems to the
benefits seem to apply to all groups, so Marty kids
specific kids and non Martin Nonpacific kids as well.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And I wonder when they were sort of evaluating it,
were they noticing that kids were taking home, going home
and taking this information and sharing it within the home
as well.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Absolutely, we know kids are a good way to inform
their parents. They both observe what their parents do and say.
But the other way around too. They are a great
channel for getting information and learning from school into the home,
and they often like to go home and talk to
their parents about what they've been doing that day. So
we've seen good support from parents as well.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
That's good to hear because with the education system the
way it is, I'm sure there's a few parents out
there that would like them to be focusing on their
reading and their writing and things like that.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Well. Absolutely, And of course, you know, the great thing
here is that the follow up evaluations say they show
here that children are more engaged in the classroom following
use of the program, So it's kind of you could
say it's enhancing their ability to learn those basics for
three hours even better.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Actually, if parents are interested but their school isn't offering
this program, are there resources they can access or do
they need to urge the school to get involved.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Well, a couple of things there. It's course always good
to encourage the school, either individual class teachers or the
principal or through the board. But there are resources online.
There's a Pause Breed Smile website, and there's also an
app with some sort of mindfulness sessions on it for
both children and for adults. So when I do my
(05:53):
mindfulness sessions, I'm not as probably as assiduous about doing
it every day as I should be. But you can
listen to just someone taking you through a short session,
even five or ten minutes can be really helpful. And
there are so there's the pores Breed Smile app And
as I say, there are sessions for both children and
for adults.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
You say, you're not as maybe consistent as you'd like
to be with your own mindfulness and your meditation, But
what do you get from it? What have you noticed
it's contributed to your life?
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Yeah, well I really noticed that once I finished as
threat to general health, and I've had, you know, it
had been a pretty high stress time and I've had
quite big chief executive roles for a while. I had
this period of really just sort of dialing back, winding
down a bit, and I found the mindfulness was useful
then and it is now just to help me get
(06:43):
set for the day, to sort of get my mind
and that's more calm place so that whatever comes up
during the day, you're just in a better headspace really
to deal with it.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
And to celebrate Mindfulness Day this week, you've recorded a
free meditation that people can access just in case they're
one little bit of actually Blomfield in their daily lives.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Again, well, yes, I'm sure that some people may want
to do that, Others definitely not. Probably not one I'll
be using, but I hope it's useful for some people.
It's on the pause Breed Smile app and yes we
put that together for Mindfulness Day which was on Thursday
last week, and I do hope that's a benefit for
as many people who want to use it.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Really nice to talk to you. Thank you so much
for your time this morning. That was Ashley Bloomfield. They're
talking about Pause, Breathe, Smile and if you head to
that website you'll be able to find all those resources there.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudgin, listen
live to News Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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