Holiday Workshop Highlights Educators’ Dedication to Staff and Student Wellbeing
While most classrooms were quiet over the April school holidays, a group of passionate educators chose to spend their break investing in something just as important — staff and student wellbeing.
Hosted in Hamilton by the Freedom Wellbeing Institute, our free school wellbeing workshop introduced teachers and school leaders to two research-based systems: the Universal Wellbeing Model (UWM) and the Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool (UWET).
These frameworks — co-developed by the Freedom Wellbeing Institute and New Zealand Curriculum Design Institute (NZCDI) — are the result of 16 years of research. They are designed to help schools understand, measure, and improve wellbeing outcomes using a prevention-first, system-based approach.
Learning That Sticks
Educators gave up a day of their holidays to take part in this hands-on workshop, showing extraordinary commitment to improving wellbeing in their school communities.
“The dedication these educators showed is inspiring, they’re not just talking about wellbeing — they’re actively building it.
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Participants engaged in live case studies, collaborative planning, and practical training on how to apply the UWM and UWET in their everyday work — from classroom practice to staff development and whole-school culture planning.
📸 Pictured: Our April school wellbeing workshop participants with Director Susan Stevenson (centre).
💬 Real Feedback. Real Results.
“I put into practice daily the things I took away from the two Universal Wellbeing programmes — and I’ve also been able to share them with staff and friends.”
This reflects the core vision of the Universal Wellbeing Model: empowering people and organisations with practical tools to take evidence-based action.
What’s Next?
If you're a teacher, school leader, or education provider passionate about wellbeing — don’t miss the Prevention Imperative: Universal Wellbeing Conference 2025, happening in Auckland on 11–12 September 2025.
This national wellbeing conference will bring together educators, executives, and sector leaders for: