Resilience is the personal process of actively and creatively developing survival capacities, learning to repair from harm and being strengthened by facing the adversities of life. An individual’s protective understandings of their support, beliefs and behaviours that they develop from their life experiences, determine their level of resilience. Most young people will move through multiple careers in their lifetime and many will live in communities without knowing their neighbours and the support of extended family. The development of young people’s resilience is more important than ever to manage the rate of change, unpredictability and increased isolation in our communities and the need to function as social beings.

This book delivers the good news: Everyone has the innate capacity to develop resilience and the teacher can have a positive impact on each of their students. Taking personal responsibility for developing and nourishing resiliency and wellbeing is one of the primary steps in a systemic approach to building resilient school communities. The book explores a range of strategies for developing resilience in learners of all ages.