News

Sparking conversations

By Owen Sinclair

Jul 28, 2025

Cobram Primary School student leaders with mental health advocate Dale Skinner, school council president Duane Kelly with daughter Ivy, and principal Claye Runnalls. Photo by Owen Sinclair

Connection and mindfulness were front and centre at Cobram Primary School’s recent Mental Health Awareness Day.

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Beanies, track pants and jumpers constituted the wardrobe of the winter’s day as families, staff and students assembled to enjoy a free barbecue and listen to guest speaker Dale Skinner.

Mr Skinner spoke about mental resilience, sharing tips on how both young and old alike could build better mental health and how to navigate the trials and tribulations of mental ill-health.

As someone with lived experience of mental ill-health, Mr Skinner knows first hand the importance of community connection.

“I was born in ’77 and grew up in the ’80s — none of this talk about mental health was there,” Mr Skinner said.

“I hid it. I really struggled because I had no-one to talk to. I would have loved it if I had had someone, as a teenager, who had said, ‘That’s okay, I’ve been through that too’, and there’s hope’.

Dale Skinner, Duane Kelly and Claye Runnalls. Photo by Owen Sinclair

“Events like this are really good for building connection in the community.”

The event was largely organised by the resident school council, led by president Duane Kelly, with the support of several local sponsors.

Following the barbecue and Mr Skinner’s speech, students expended their end-of-week energy with a number of activities and games with SkillZone Sports.

Principal Claye Runnalls was pleased with the turnout at the event.

“If the kids take one thing away going forward, then we’ve ticked the box,” he said.

“We want to strengthen the connections within the community, and to have this school as the place to go if you’ve got nowhere else to go. We’re here. We’re for community.

“It’s something we do within the school every day: we hit on gratitude, empathy and mindfulness as things that can help with our mental health.”