Spreading the joy SIR ASHLEY'S KINDNESS CLUB

The Kiwi health legend is taking a jab at teaching kids important life skills

-  Catherine Milford

As the former “face of Covid” in New Zealand, few people understand high-stress levels and their impact on mental health quite like Sir Ashley Bloomfield.

Which is why the Napier-born, Wellington-bred scientist and former Director General of Health, who became one of the most recognised people in New Zealand history, says it’s vital to teach our children some emotional well-being techniques for their future.

These days, Ashley is involved in several health and wellbeing-related projects, one of which is Pause Breathe Smile (PBS), a mindfulness programme designed to grow and improve mental health tools for primary and intermediate schoolchildren. He is also a professor at the University of Auckland and the interim chief executive of public Crown Institute ERS.

“I got involved with PBS because I wanted to work with a Kiwi organisation that aligned with my own personal values, that also had some solid science behind it, and evidence to show that it was effective,” says the dad of three, who has been married to Libby, a fellow doctor, for 34 years.

“There’s a lot of speculation behind the reasons for the global trend of kids struggling with their mental health, including length of screen time, access to phones from an early age, the pandemic and a decrease in one-on-one interaction.

“The role of PBS is to try to equip children with a set of tools and skills that they can use when they meet challenges, including those that can provoke anxiety.”