Meditation App NFP Names Top Board

The Australian Not for Profit that set up the  Mindfulness Meditation App Smiling Mind has named a high profile board with the goal of making Smiling Mind part of the Australian curriculum by 2020.

Smiling Mind is a web and App-based program, designed to help bring balance to young lives through modern meditation.

The Not for Profit says that with downloads for Smiling Mind reaching more than 60,000, the board has already completed its first task – to increase downloads to 100,000 by the end of 2013.

"Another goal is to achieve 2,000 downloads of the App’s specialist Education Programs (currently at 1,500)," co-founder Jane Martino said..

Heading the board is Chairman Jim Watts, founder of multi-national HR consulting firm Hamilton Watts International and former  Director, Vice President and Chief Executive of the St Kilda Football Club. Watts was also General Manager of Corporate Development and Industry Relations on the AFL Executive team.

Also on the board is:

• Smiling Mind Co-Founders James Tutton and Jane Martino;

• child and adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg;

• Professor of  Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne and founding director of the Centre for Community & Child Health at Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne Prof Frank Oberklaid;

• founder of River Capital and Director at the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre and Murdoch Children's Research Institute Suzi Carp;

• founder of Engineers Without Borders and Australia’s leading impact investment group Small Giants Danny Almagor;

• and  Pro Bono Counsel at Baker & McKenzie and leader of the Pro Bono and Community Service programs  Anna McCann, Pro Bono Counsel at Baker & McKenzie and leader of the Pro Bono and Community Service programs.

Smiling Mind’s says its long-term vision of being on the Australian Curriculum by 2020 is underway, with a pilot program currently in place within 20 schools nationwide.  

“We’re committed to bringing new services that improve young people’s wellbeing – creating happier, healthier and more compassionate Australians,” Martino said.

According to Smiling Mind, evidence shows that 75 per cent of mental illnesses have their onset during adolescence. Its goal is to spread awareness of Mindfulness Meditation as an evidence-based pre-emptive mental health tool.

Dr Craig Hassed, senior lecturer at the Monash University Department of General Practice agrees.  He has been a leading advocate of mindfulness research and techniques since 1991.

“Mindfulness Meditation can be applied to most situations but it can be particularly useful for school students in helping them deal with anxiety relating to study and exams.  It’s a practice that can help students focus and deal with emotional issues, thus improving their mental state,” Dr Craig Hassed, senior lecturer at the Monash University Department of General Practice, said.

Martino says the board’s selection aims to provide Smiling Mind with expertise across the Not for Profit sector, fundraising and philanthropic circles, mental health, young people, government and law.