Free wellbeing programme already helping 100,000 Kiwi kids

Pause Breathe Smile is a mind health programme for primary and intermediate schools, proudly sponsored by Southern Cross.

It is locally developed, mindfulness-based and researched. Research shows that this programme helps kids to find calm when they’re feeling anxious or upset. It helps them to notice and pay attention to the important stuff in life, better regulate their emotions and effectively manage thoughts. Findings show that PBS helps kids to resolve conflicts more effectively, to build positive relationships with others and leads to statistically significant increases in childhood wellbeing.

The Pause Breathe Smile Charitable Trust operates the programme originally developed at the Mental Health Foundation in 2013 by Grant Rix, who is co-founder of the PBS Trust and works as the Director of Mindfulness Training and Development.

"We saw the need for an initiative that can help children flourish now, while also learning skills to help them manage life’s ups and downs as they grow and face future challenges. Right now, the challenges are huge. Pandemics, climate change, global conflict. We really don’t have any time to waste in helping tamariki learn these important skills.”

Thankfully, with the funding and support of Southern Cross, Pause Breathe Smile is now being taught to 100,000 primary and intermediate school children throughout Aotearoa.

Dr Matthew Clark, Chief Medical Officer for Southern Cross Healthcare said, “In under three years, the PBS team has taught thousands of teachers and their students how to de-escalate anxiety and stress, and to better navigate the weirdly uncertain times we’ve all been facing.

When you’re pint-sized, problems can seem much bigger, so teaching our tamariki to manage their emotions and reactions in a positive way helps them in so many areas. The results we’re seeing in the independent survey speak for themselves,” he added.

Dr Reuben Rusk, founder of Mindquip, has monitored Pause Breathe Smile since the partnership with Southern Cross began in 2020. “The results suggest it’s having a positive impact on tamariki and their teachers. We’ve seen significant improvements in how the teachers who engage in the programme and complete the follow-up surveys describe their students’ wellbeing and behaviour. They describe learners as more focused, considerate, self-motivated, perseverant, supportive, hopeful, interested, and engaged, and less anxious, pessimistic, upset, and withdrawn.”

Uniquely New Zealand

Pause Breathe Smile has always been rooted in Aotearoa’s bicultural identity, but recently has taken some big steps toward ensuring that it is fully accessible for kaiako and ākonga who teach and learn in Māori immersion settings.

Within the pilot phase, PBS has developed a whole new suite of te reo Māori resources, including an updated handbook for educators, audio practices, and video resources for mindful movements in te reo. The training workshop for Māori medium is delivered bilingually and follows the procedures of tikanga Māori, for example, starting with whakatau, karakia, and mihimihi.

How it works

Pause Breathe Smile PLD provides everything needed to implement this robust, evidence-based wellbeing programme. Whether you already have wellbeing initiatives or you’re just starting out, PBS will meet you where you are to layer, enrich, and embed wellbeing experiences and approaches. By building the capacity of your team, we support you to build the wellbeing outcomes for your ākonga. Following training, the programme is facilitated by the classroom teacher and is designed to be delivered flexibly as either eight full lessons, or 15 mini lessons. Key topics included alongside core mindfulness practices are emotion regulation, kindness, interconnectedness, attention regulation and gratitude. Each module supports learning towards multiple curriculum achievement areas.

A newly developed range of enrichment lesson plans, guided mindfulness practices and mindful movement videos are available for your use after the completion of the core programme to ensure that the wellbeing gains made are sustainable over the long term.

Facilitators are available to discuss your school requirements. Email Lindy at coodinator@pausebreathesmile.nz to register your interest.