Last week, as part of our International Women's Day celebrations, we took the opportunity to reflect on the remarkable contributions women have made to our Woodleigh community.

One figure who many will not be so familiar with is Mette Boell, whose work focuses on the wellbeing of young people and their capacity to thrive. During her recent visit to Woodleigh, we had the privilege of speaking with her at length about her transformative work.

Born in the Netherlands, Mette lives in Boston but maintains a close connection to Woodleigh. As a founder of the Centre for Systems Awareness and the MIT Systems Awareness Lab, she is a leading voice in changing the way educators consider and nurture future generations. Her keynote speech at last years ReimaginED Conference left a lasting impact on all who attended.

The Centre for Systems Awareness helps educators around the world understand the interconnectedness of social, educational and environmental systems. By viewing teaching and learning through this lens, teachers can better integrate students’ learning and wellbeing. At Woodleigh, we use Compassionate Systems, a suite of tools and practices to provide structure and support for teachers and students to understand such concepts.

The importance of focusing on the wellbeing of children and young adults can’t be overstated. Mette is acutely aware of the worldwide decline in children’s mental health and collaborates with like-minded institutions across the globe, such as Woodleigh, to rethink outdated systems and ensure the thriving and flourishing of children and the planet.

In our chat, Mette said, “The system of education in place is not at all adequate for what's needed for future generations.” The world has changed significantly since the inception of educational systems designed for an industrial-era workforce and we’re left with a major disconnect between what the world and our children need, and how our education systems operate.

We know that academic engagement is greatest when children feel safe, seen and supported – something we are deeply committed to at Woodleigh. Unfortunately, such environments are not the norm in most schools today. To progress, education must evolve. By embedding Compassionate Systems, Mette envisions a future where thriving and flourishing behaviours help students develop their sense of purpose, and intellectual and emotional resilience. Her vision extends to creating a world where more people thrive, and in turn, our planet flourishes. "When our kids are not thriving, it should be a matter for all of society," she asserts. Children who are connected to their peers and confident in expressing their thoughts and feelings are more engaged in their learning and better equipped to handle conflicts and challenges.

As we reflect on Mette’s contributions and her dedication to a better future for all children and people, we are reminded of her words: " We must really have an intention of wellbeing for each other. There’s a depth of interconnectedness that exists, so that when a group of people thrive and flourish, more people will go on to thrive and flourish." Do this, and we can create educational that nurture the next generation and the world we all live in.

In context examples of empowering young people can be better understood here.