Arts-based mental health interventions: Wish Street Pilot

16 July 2025

Wish Street is a vibrant collaboration between Satellite Foundation and Polyglot Theatre, offering an innovative, arts-based mental health education program designed to support student wellbeing in primary school settings.

Centred on creativity, imagination, and student voice, Wish Street transforms classrooms into imaginative landscapes where cardboard boxes become buildings, paper becomes pathways, and play becomes a tool for emotional connection.

This creative mental health program for students in Melbourne harnesses the powerful intersection of theatre-making and mental health awareness. Students are invited to build a large-scale world using simple materials – cardboard, tape, tissue paper, costumes – and in doing so, they explore ideas of safety, identity, and wellbeing in a playful, supported environment.

“I really really loved Wish St, I think it was about the importance of safety, and also drama, play and creativity. Infinity out of 10 for me!” 
– Student from Tylden Primary School 

Social and emotional learning (SEL) reimagined through creativity

Children and young people are curious about mental health – and they’re ready to talk about it. But schools are often stretched thin by curriculum demands, public health priorities, and limited resources. Programs like Wish Street respond directly to this need, offering an engaging, light-touch approach that integrates with existing educational priorities while foregrounding emotional literacy.

This is social and emotional learning (SEL) through creative activities – not just teaching about emotions but giving children the creative tools to express them. Students learn to listen, empathise, regulate their emotions, and build meaningful relationships with their peers and communities. Through collective world-building and playful exploration, Wish Street supports youth wellbeing through creativity, encouraging students to express their thoughts and feelings in ways that feel authentic, empowering, and joyful.

The Wish Street pilot: Three schools, 700 voices

Between 2022 and 2024, Wish Street was piloted in three Victorian schools – Tylden Primary School, Footscray Primary School, and Trentham Primary School – each with its own unique size, location, and school culture. Across these schools, almost 700 children engaged with the program! By creating cardboard communities and, more importantly, sharing their thoughts and feelings, students stepped into their confidence and creative power.

“Very positively received by both students and parents – one parent told me that her kids never share anything about their school day but couldn’t wait to tell her all about their Wish Street sessions.” 
– Teacher from Footscray Primary School teacher 

Educators praised the way the program integrated into existing classroom structures while offering something refreshingly new. Designed to be student-centric, Wish Street supports developmental appropriateness, flexibility, and emotional growth. Evaluation methods included both quantitative and qualitative data, though it was the personal stories and student reflections that provided the richest insights.

Outcomes from the pilot: What we’re learning (and why it matters)

The Wish Street pilot demonstrated that when the conditions are right, students are not only open to talking about mental health… they actively want to! The creative approach didn’t just engage students; it gave them the language and confidence to share what was already bubbling beneath the surface.

Key outcomes include: 

• Students feeling empowered and eager to have mental health conversations
• Creative expression acting as a bridge between thoughts, feelings, and peer connection
• Families and educators seeking ongoing tools to continue these conversations
• A program that integrates easily into school life while creating meaningful, lasting impact

“[Wish St] Staff were entertaining and engaging and had endless patience.”
– Teacher from Footscray Primary School

Ready to join this story?

If you’re an educator looking for school incursions supporting mental health or seeking to embed arts-based mental health interventions into your curriculum, Wish Street offers a powerful, playful and proven model.To learn more or register your school’s interest, get in touch with the Satellite Foundation team at [email protected].