One in four young people in Australia (aged 15-24) are experiencing significant psychological distress. Young people have been described as the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ of modern society as they are buffeted by rapid changes in technology, economy, culture and climate. Many families and schools are struggling to keep young people engaged in learning in school systems that seem increasingly out of touch with their needs.

In her PhD research, Monique Potts explores the context of these social-cultural changes by talking to educators, youth workers and young people. She worked with students and teachers in a Sydney high school to co-design a pilot program of learning modules focusing on developing resilience through meta-competencies of agency, adaptability, creativity, compassion, interbeing and self-awareness.

She will discuss some of the practices and methods she used to engage with schools, teachers, and young people to understand their needs and priorities and design learning experiences with a focus on learning for uncertainty including place-based learning, systems thinking, awareness-based systems change, futures thinking and experience design. She also explores the potential of peer-based, student-led co-design as teams of students designed learning experiences for younger students to support their mental health and resilience.

About Monique Potts

Monique Potts is a researcher, teacher and catalyser working across the fields of education, media and organisational transformation. She is currently a lecturer and researcher completing her PhD at UTS TD School. Monique has experience teaching across a range of subjects in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (BCII) as well as in other faculties and schools at UTS and UNSW. Monique has held leadership roles in innovation and entrepreneurship at UTS and the ABC. At UTS in her role as Deputy Director of Innovation and Creative Intelligence, she oversaw the set-up of an award-winning student startup incubator and accelerator The Hatchery as well as a series of innovation labs and creative clusters. Monique helped lead innovation and digital media transformation at the ABC in the Strategic Development team in ABC Innovation leading initiatives such as ABC Splash education portal, ABC Open Archives and others.

CONTRIBUTION for this event is by donation, received funds will be donated to Weave Youth and Community Services.