The state of emotional education in New Zealand is an important topic for all New Zealand citizens to consider. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a key part of overall cognitive functioning and can have a major impact on individual and collective wellbeing. In New Zealand, EI has become a priority for both the government and the educational system due to its importance in a variety of key areas.
Government Initiatives
The New Zealand Government has identified the importance of emotional education, and is taking steps to ensure that New Zealanders receive the tools they need to understand and control their emotions. As part of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Government has introduced a range of initiatives designed to promote mental health, such as the Mental Health and Addiction Support Services, the Mental Health Commission, and the Emotional Intelligence Strategy.
These initiatives focus on providing strategies to help people better manage stress and anxiety, while also improving their ability to recognize and regulate their emotions. The Government has also developed a Unitary Plan, which includes a focus on creating an emotionally secure and inclusive society. This plan includes initiatives such as the promotion of healthy relationships among young people, providing support to those with mental health issues, and promoting mental wellbeing in the workplace.
Educational Programs
The New Zealand Education system has also recognized the importance of EI, and has implemented various programs to promote the development of emotional literacy across all levels of the education system. For example, primary schools often use the Kiwi Smiley Programme to teach students the basics of EI, including managing emotions, expressing feelings, and understanding the causes and effects of emotions. In addition, high schools have developed a range of courses designed to help students understand their own emotions and those of others.
At the tertiary level, universities such as the University of Auckland and the University of Otago offer courses in psychology and counselling that focus on the development of emotional literacy. These courses provide students with a greater understanding of the nature of emotions and how to manage them. In addition, the Ministry of Education has recently introduced the Wellbeing Framework, which focuses on promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in New Zealand schools.
Benefits of Emotional Education
The promotion of emotional education provides numerous benefits for the citizens of New Zealand. An understanding of EI can help individuals to better manage and regulate their own emotions, as well as those of others, and can improve overall mental health and wellbeing. An emphasis on emotional literacy can also help to reduce mental health issues in the workplace and in educational settings, and can lead to better communication and understanding between individuals.
In addition, a focus on EI can help to create a more emotionally secure and inclusive society. This can be beneficial to both individuals and society as a whole, by promoting the development of strong relationships and reducing the rates of depression and anxiety among the population.
Learning emotional intelligence can be beneficial to all New Zealanders, whether they are in school, in the workplace, or in any other setting. By improving their emotional literacy, individuals can better understand their own emotions and those of others, leading to a more positive, emotionally secure and inclusive society.
EI Resources Available in New Zealand
Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to New Zealanders that can help them to better understand and develop their emotional literacy. These include:
- Books – There are numerous books available in New Zealand that focus on emotional education. These books cover a variety of topics, from understanding emotions to managing stress and anxiety.
- Online Courses – There are a variety of online courses available that focus on emotional education. These courses can help individuals to understand their own emotions and those of others, as well as how to manage stress and anxiety.
In addition, there are a number of organisations in New Zealand that focus on emotional education and offer various services and programmes. These include the Emotional Education Trust of New Zealand, the New Zealand Association of Counsellors, and the New Zealand Psychological Society. These organisations can provide people with emotional support, as well as useful information and advice on topics related to emotional education.
Emotional education is an important topic for all New Zealanders to consider. Through government initiatives and educational programs, as well as a variety of other resources, emotional education can help individuals to better understand and manage their own emotions, while also leading to improved mental health and wellbeing for individuals and society as a whole.
