The Story behind ‘Why Worry Wally?’
Supporting the wellbeing of children has always been an important priority for schools. Since the COVID-19 pandemic it has become critical.
In September 2020, deep into Melbourne’s second lockdown, Andy and I recognised in one another a shared passion for supporting the wellbeing of young people. After becoming acquainted on a related webinar, we decided to get together in a park - masked up and motivated to flesh out a shared vision. That vision was to create a wellbeing school program using my picture book – Why Worry Wally? – as the basis for the session.
At the time, the media had been fixated on the challenges schools and students faced in keeping up academic standards. But Andy and I realised quite early that mental health impacts brought about by isolation from the physical school community would ultimately become a priority.
Pre-pandemic, I created the picture story book, “Why Worry Wally?” to help my then primary school aged daughters address their anxieties. This grew into the dream to share this personal story of hope to inspire and educate young people in schools. Andy had been working full-time in primary schools until a growing discomfort about the COVID/distance learning situation drove him to attempt something more innovative to better support students’ needs.
It felt like we were onto something significant. By incorporating the engagement factor of quality literature and authentic storytelling, we were able to create a positive psychology informed mental health awareness framework that young people could relate to.
The incursion that came of this initial brainstorm contains at its core the key message that worries are completely normal. Having them can also be a strength.
It has evolved steadily since being piloted at a school in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, shaped both by our experiences in delivering it to students, and Andy’s professional learnings from his involvement in a Professional Certificate of Positive Education postgraduate course.
Our aim moving forward is to support schools to make emotional awareness and reflectiveness part of the day to day language of a classroom. We would like to support teachers to empower children to seek help when needed, while allowing them to build enriching relationships with their peers.
If you would like to learn more about our story, please feel free to reach out.
Rick Foster
Since the launch of Why Worry Wally?, Rick has received a significant amount of media exposure, highlighted by appearances with:
> ABC Radio Melbourne and Canberra
> Commercial and community radio
> Herald Sun and Leader group of newspapers
> Circle In global working parents platform
> Parenting/Lifestyle media
Why Worry Wally? is available in independent bookstores and is also featured in libraries as part of the ALIA Online Storytime Program.
Andy Parthenopoulos
Andy is a VIT registered primary school teacher with experience teaching and guiding children in a range of environments, including distance learning periods.
Since stepping aside from a full-time classroom role in 2020 to facilitate incursions, he has also achieved a Professional Certificate in Positive Education (via MGSE at the University of Melbourne), supported Master's level pre-service teachers as a subject tutor at the same institution, and developed a website to support families to engage effectively with their child's learning (EdMentor).
Andy believes equipping young students with the tools to better manage their emotions is a first step to building strong communities, which is why he has partnered with Rick to deliver this one-of-a-kind incursion.