Embedding The Resilience Project in Our Wellbeing Framework: Evidence, Impact and Connection

At The Gap SHS, we believe that learning and wellbeing go hand in hand. Through our Wellbeing Framework and Connect Program, we’re helping students build the skills to feel good, function well, and flourish both in school and beyond.

We are proud of our commitment to Learners who Flourish. Since 2021, our Wellbeing Framework has guided a whole-school approach to building resilience, hope, and connection for every student. We believe every day our students should feel a sense of belonging, be able to express themselves as unique individuals, and engage in learning that sparks their curiosity, joy, passions, purpose and character strengths.

A cornerstone of this work is our Connect Program – a dedicated weekly time for all students in Years 7–12. Its purpose is to strengthen student wellbeing, resilience, emotional literacy, hope, and positive relationships.

Connect is delivered through three core domains, aligned with the PERMAH framework:

✔ Engagement – developing growth mindsets, goal setting and joy in learning

✔ Positive and Healthy Relationships – building respect, empathy and safe, supportive connections

✔ GEM in Action – practising Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness in everyday ways

Guided by The Resilience Project’s principles of Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness (GEM) and emotional literacy, Connect ensures every student has a caring adult in their corner while building the skills for lifelong wellbeing.

Research consistently shows the symbiotic relationship between wellbeing and learning: students with higher levels of wellbeing are more engaged, more resilient, and achieve stronger academic outcomes. The Monash University evaluation of The Resilience Project demonstrates clear benefits, including improved mental health, stronger social-emotional skills, greater resilience, and increased student engagement in learning. These are the very outcomes we see every day at TGSHS and in our Queensland Engagement and Wellbeing Survey data.

Our decision to embed The Resilience Project within our Wellbeing Framework was intentional and grounded in evidence. TRP aligns seamlessly with our belief in Learners who Flourish, supporting students to develop gratitude, empathy, mindfulness, and emotional literacy which are the cornerstones of positive mental health. These skills not only strengthen emotional regulation and optimism but also improve students’ capacity to manage stress, build stronger relationships, and engage more deeply in their learning. Since implementing TRP through Connect, we have seen an increase in students’ help-seeking behaviours, greater classroom calm, improved peer relationships, and stronger self-awareness. These outcomes reflect our ongoing commitment to nurturing both the hearts and minds of our young people, ensuring that wellbeing is not an add-on, but embedded in everything we do at TGSHS.

As Australian Story recently highlighted, The Resilience Project’s founder, Hugh van Cuylenburg, reminds us that resilience is not about perfection it is about being human. His story of vulnerability, healing, and gratitude shows that even in moments of struggle, we can find strength through empathy, connection, and perspective. This message lies at the heart of our Connect Program and our Wellbeing Framework: helping young people develop the courage and compassion to navigate life’s challenges with hope and confidence.

This is wellbeing in action – evidence-based, intentional, and making a real difference for our young people.

🔗 Learn more here: theresilienceproject.com.au/monash-university-evaluation