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Students and staff throughout Aldar Education are being inspired to focus on their well-being, with the leading education provider committing to dedicate 26,298,000 minutes to wellness in celebration of the UAE’s 50^th year.

The ‘#GOTAMINUTE’campaign sees over 27,000students and staff throughout Aldar Education encouraged to take time from their busy schedules to focus on activities and exercises which will be dedicated to mental and physical health.

Championing the campaign, which will culminate on the 50^th National Day in December, 50 student ambassadors will receive specialist mentorship to encourage their peers to take time and focus on themselves, in what has been a year of changes for students and their education due to the COVID pandemic.

Incentivising everybody to take part in the campaign, all Abu Dhabi-based campuses will collectively register their minutes, ,with the campaign aiming to record a collective 26,298,000 minutes of wellness before December – the same number of minutes in the history of 50 years of the UAE.

Speaking about the ‘Time for Wellbeing’ #GOTAMINUTE campaign, Aldar Education’s CEO, Sahar Cooper, commented: “It has been a challenging time for students and staff throughout COVID, but the resilience shown throughout our campuses have been absolutely incredible. Well-being is at the forefront of everything that we are doing in schools, ensuring that we stay connected and supportive to students, parents and all employees.

“By launching the #GOTAMINUTE campaign, we are committed to working closely with students to help them learn about wellness and mental health and encourage people to communicate when they feel they need support. This is a long-term commitment from Aldar Education, and we want to make a positive impact on all our staff and students which is why we are aiming to register 26,298,000 million collective minutes of wellness.

“Throughout the last year we have adapted to the needs of our teachers and staff to ensure well- being is a priority; we have listened to feedback and made positive changes. Our staff have been brilliant in helping us to launch new initiatives across Aldar Education and the fact that we have been recognised as a Great Place to Work, reinforces the commitment we have to everybody at Aldar Education.”

Students and staff will register their wellness minutes on a weekly basis across each school, with time being carved into the academic day to encourage students to spend time reflecting, sharing gratitude boards and other initiatives which will be led by the 50 Wellness Champions. Activities outside of school hours will also contribute to the collective tally of hours, in the hope of students also encouraging their parents and siblings to also get involved and build stronger community ties.

Tracey Dunn, Senior Manager for Pastoral Care and services, will lead the campaign and mentor the 50 Wellness Champions across all of Aldar Education’s campuses, adding: “Student and staff wellness is so important not just to deal with the pressures of education, but in societal issues too.

“We have devised a plan to allow various activities in schools that can be tailor-made to all individuals as wellness has a different meaning to each and every one of us.

“Staff will be encouraged to take up challenges focused on the number 50, such as committing to run 50 laps of tracks, or swimming 50 lengths of a pool. It really is a programmethat people can shape how they wish alongside the help of our 50 Wellness Champions who will receive regular mentorship to help create new ways of educating people on how to take extra care of their physical and mental wellbeing.”

Throughout the campaign Aldar Education will provide students with new themes and initiatives each month to educate new ways of stimulating the body and mind to improve wellness.