Introduction to ‘Pay It Forward’ In SMI

Here at S.M.I. we realise it has become increasingly challenging for our students, staff and wider community to be psychologically and emotionally resilient in the midst of the challenging time we live in. Never before has mental health, social support and a sense of belonging been so important to us all. Our collective response to this challenge is to promote mental health, kindness and social inclusivity.

Being kind to one another acknowledges our own capacity for kindness and also has the benefit of ‘feeling good’ for both giver and recipient. In promoting kindness we hope to change attitudes, build self-esteem and mental health resilience creating a sense of cohesiveness both in our school and in the wider community.

There is an inherent goodness in people who carry out acts of kindness, compassion and support each day, often for friends or family and other times for complete strangers. If someone does you a good deed, instead of ‘paying it back’ why not pay it forward? By doing this we are essentially pledging a conscious act of kindness to another and creating a ripple effect.

Each Year we elect a Transition Year Pay It Forward Committee made up of students and staff members who take on the challenge of participating in random acts of kindness in both the school and the community. We have been running this very successful initiative since 2018 and it is still going strong today.