What is it?
Young people thrive when they feel safe, respected and valued as an important part of a team or group. Nurturing a health-promoting school environment means finding ways to ensure students feel safe from physical and emotional harm, secure in their relationships with teachers and peers, and valued as an important members of their school.
A health-promoting school environment provides students with a stable protective force against risky and harmful drug use. Therefore schools should ultimately strive to facilitate meaningful connections between staff students and parents, rather than focus on identifying drug use in schools and responding with punitive consequences.
Level of research support: Strong evidence of effectiveness
Why do it?
There is good evidence suggesting that supportive and caring relationships within schools promote academic motivation and performance among students (West, 2006). Students with positive teacher, learning and social connectedness also fare best in terms of later mental health and involvement in health risk behaviours (Resnick et al., 1997).
Conversely, young people who are not engaged in learning and have poor relationships with peers and teachers (e.g., they are bullied, feel like they do not belong, or feel stressed) are more likely to experience both academic and mental health problems and be involved in various health risk behaviours. Not completing secondary school is a risk factor for early adult substance use problems.
Who is it for?
Who can facilitate it?
How can we implement it?
Connectedness at both the classroom and school level begins with good role-modeling. Teachers and school staff can start the bonding process by continually demonstrating the skills needed to foster respectful, supportive relationships.
Use the questions below to help you evaluate where your school is today and where you would like to go in the future:
The chart below offers suggestions for building and improving school relationships:
Sources and related material