MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
 IN Education

Mental Health first aid

Adolescence is a time of important change and development. It is also a time when mental health problems such as depression and anxiety first emerge. During these critical years, mental health issues are a leading cause of falling grades, problems with relationships and substance misuse, often having a lifelong impact. That is why spotting the signs and early intervention are so important. Schools and colleges are an amazing source of support for adolescents and their families but can also be a source of strain or stress, especially for young people facing challenges with their mental health. It is important to also recognise, that it is not only students who may need support. For many teachers the day-to-day impact of coping with student relationships, classroom dynamics, co-worker and parent relationships, alongside workload and time pressures, can all lead to physical and mental health issues. Creating a mentally healthy workplace, where teachers and staff feel supported, is crucial to their professional and personal success and the integral role they play in the development and social, emotional and physical well-being of students. There is much that can be done to support this approach. From providing awareness training, to implementing youth and adult mental health first aiders, changing policy and taking a whole school proactive approach to mental wellbeing, the outcome is that we keep talking about mental health and ensuring that there is someone there to reach out to, whoever in the school may need that help. Tim Lloyd RMN – Managing Director Mindmaps Wellbeing www.mindmapswellbeing.com info@mindmapswellbeing.com 01803 523 660    

Mindapples promoting mental health and wellbeing across the UK since 2008

Mindapples promoting mental health and well being - Classroom

Over the years we’ve received lots of similar feedback from adults saying “if only I was taught this at school.” Our vision at Mindapples is of a world where taking care of our minds is natural and normal for everyone – and this should start with children and young people. Since mental wellbeing and resilience has become a statutory part of the curriculum, we want to help schools deliver on this promise to young people. Working with schools across the UK, we have developed a package of training and classroom resources to support teachers in delivering the new curriculum and developing an approach to mental wellbeing that can benefit the whole school community of staff, pupils and parents.  We recently had the opportunity to visit St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Bath and asked them about the impact our training had on the mental health and wellbeing of staff and children. You can watch the film and read more about our schools programme here.  https://mindapples.org/charity/schools/ In early December we took part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, a digital match funding campaign. Through the generosity of our donors during the campaign we managed to reach our target of £20,000, meaning we can now provide our training and support packages to another 100 schools in the UK. We are now looking for more UK Primary and Secondary schools to receive our training so if your school is interested, please email Michele Worden at schools@mindapples.org or nominate your school online by completing the form at www.mindapples.org/nominate. Our virtual training sessions equip school staff with the awareness and understanding they need to take care of their own minds, and the tools to help them facilitate positive conversations about mental health and wellbeing with pupils, school communities and families, to build cultures which promote healthy habits and open conversations.   We love hearing from schools about the impact our training has: “We are so proud to have been a part of the Mindapples well-being pilot. Our children have hugely benefited from a strategic approach to supporting their mental health and well-being upon our full return to school.” – Lyndsey Jefford, Assistant Headteacher, Heber Primary School, Southwark To complement the training, we provide school campaign packs and age-targeted lesson plans and assembly resources. Packed with colourful materials, posters, applecards and other ideas for engaging young people, these resource packs allow staff to run their own wellbeing campaigns for pupils, colleagues, parents and the wider school community. “We really loved the apples, it’s just a lovely visual way for the children to think about those things which are positive for them and as it’s such lovely quality card it makes it feel really special.” – Sorcha Rudley, Mindapples champion and Year 4 teacher, St Mary’s RC Primary School, Bath Mental health can feel like a heavy, medical topic, something to be left to the professionals. But we all have mental health, and the things we do every day affect it. We all each have an amazing opportunity to improve our lives, simply by taking better care of our minds. Let’s give young people the tools to do just that. Find out more at www.mindapples.org/schools.

10 marathons in 10 days to raise money

Laura 'Birdy' Bird 10 Marathans in 10 days to raise money for those who saved her life

Fighting for her life after a suicide attempt, Laura ‘Birdy’ Bird ended her turbulent adolescence physically and psychologically broken.  Fast forward 10 years and she has run 10 marathons in 10 days to raise money for the people who saved her life. Join Birdy on her moving and motivational 10-year journey from learning how to walk again, through the challenges of training for an Ironman, to taking on the brutal Directing Staff as a recruit on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins. Culminating in taking on the biggest ultra-marathon running challenge she has ever faced. Funny, raw and emotional, this is a story of so much more than just running. It is a candid memoir of resilience, positivity and a renewed gratefulness for everything life has to offer, after coming so close to losing it all.

Cardiff City Hall to host Wales’s biggest Mental Health Conference in 2022 with Frank Bruno MBE

Mental Health and Wellbeing show 2022

The Headspace magazine are pleased to be working with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Show 2022 in Cardiff! Organised by Ajuda Event Management, Cardiff City Hall is due to host one of the biggest Mental Health and Wellbeing events in the UK on 10th May 2022 to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, with Frank Bruno MBE in attendance as keynote speaker! The all-day event will welcome over 1,000 guests to the Welsh capital to raise awareness and develop knowledge on a wide range of topics including workplace mental health, suicide prevention, eating disorder awareness, men’s mental health, bereavement, diversity & inclusion, youth mental health, mindset, substance misuse, and much more. Included in the day is over 35 live seminars, 70 exhibitors in our exhibition and lots of networking opportunities. Organisations joining on the day include Samaritans, NSPCC, BEAT, Action for Children, 2 Wish Upon a Star, and National Centre for Mental Health among many more. The event is supported and sponsored by Ajuda Training and Precision Biotics. Frank Bruno MBE will be presenting a keynote talk on his inspiring story of resilience and strength after facing years of ongoing mental health issues. His battle with mental health led him to form the Frank Bruno Foundation to help other people who are suffering. Tickets for Frank’s talk begin at £25 per person, with the option to upgrade to a dining experience with Frank. Other speakers include founder of 2WishUponAStar Charity and recent Pride of Britain recipient Rhian Mannings MBE, former professional footballer Neville Southall MBE, Paralympic athlete Andy Lewis MBE, Member of the Senedd Jack Sargeant and a host of special guests will be speaking on mental health and wellbeing for this monumental event. Event director Dawn Evans says: “Following such a difficult few years for all, I could see there was a clear need for a bigger and more extensive event around mental health and wellbeing in the UK. The team at Ajuda always strive to provide our customers with the training and events that really matter to them, so we decided to create an event to accommodate the rising need for mental health and wellbeing training.” Tickets for the event are already available to book, with entry to the exhibition free and seminar tickets at just £5 per person. Tickets can be ordered on Eventbrite or by contacting the Ajuda Events team on 02922 400382 or events@ajuda.org.uk    

Providing students with effective wellbeing support

School boy wellbeing support

It is more important than ever for schools to support the wellbeing of students. With the prevalence of social media, the disruption of the pandemic, uncertainty around exams and financial pressures on parents being only a handful of the challenges faced by students, stress levels can be comparatively higher than previously seen and pastoral care is all the more important. One key issue remains in that young people are more comfortable communicating online through their smartphones; many find it difficult to articulate their thoughts and emotions in person, making it extremely difficult to support their wellbeing.   How can schools provide effective wellbeing support for students when they are unaware of the specific issues that may be impacting them?   Tech-driven wellbeing platform GoVox facilitates effective wellbeing support, through its regular Wellbeing Check-In and Personal Wellbeing Report service. These do not replace any in-person pastoral care at your school, they simply compliment this and improve the efficiency and scale of wellbeing interventions. The system checks in directly with students via their emails, and harnesses social media behaviours which results in a very high level of engagement. Results feed back into a central dashboard, so that teachers and pastoral heads can view any red flags and comments from students. A monthly Personal Wellbeing Report is sent out following the check-in, so students can also apply self-help techniques that are refreshed on a regular basis. There is a healthy volume of data contained in the dashboard – the data can be analysed and used to measure trends. At a micro level, cyclical trends are identifiable in individual students, who are being given a voice through the check-in.   Critically, the platform is also available to staff, so that they receive wellbeing support from line managers at your school.   Unlike other wellbeing platforms, GoVox isn’t anonymous, meaning you understand exactly who would benefit from some support, and in which key areas. GoVox takes away the guesswork involved in pastoral care at schools, meaning happier, higher-achieving students. According to recent research*, one in five students has a diagnosed mental health problem; would you know who that is in your school, and how you might be able to support them?   For a free demo of the platform, visit govox.com/schools today, or get in touch via hello@govox.com   https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/student-life/about-student-mental-health/

Could you be a foster carer? Hounslow Council need you

Foster Carer with child

As part of a national drive, Hounslow Council is encouraging professionals to come forward and foster children and young people in our care.   People foster for a number of reasons, but it’s overwhelmingly because they want to make a difference to a child’s life.   A foster carer provides a home for children or young people who are temporarily unable, for a range of reasons, to live with their own family.   Children of all ages need fostering, from babies to teenagers and young parents. Some may be children on their own and others may be with brothers and sisters who need to stay together.   There are many children and young people in Hounslow who need foster carers, especially those from a diverse range of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds.   The only key requirement to becoming a foster carer is having a spare room, time and commitment.  You may wonder if you have the skills to become a foster carer, so be reassured that what really matters is being able to offer a loving and caring home to children separated from their own families.   Advice and support is always available for foster carers, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and a generous weekly allowance is paid to meet the needs of each child placed. Hounslow’s allowances are higher than the recommended national rate for foster carers and are up to £868.60 per fortnight, per child.   As one of our foster carers, M, said: “I’d always thought about being a foster carer, applied and was successful. The process was straightforward. For me fostering, is a profession. It provided an opportunity to change my career and make a real difference to a child’s life.”   M, who has three grown-up children and four grandchildren, gets so much out of fostering, but says the best thing about it for her, is seeing the child you are fostering flourish and do well at school.   She added: “I am passionate about education and feels this opens up children’s opportunities and provides better life chances. I am in touch with the children that I have worked with, and I am proud many of them have gone on to study at university or work for a vocation. It feels special when they thank me for the support I provided.”   M says that every child is different and there are challenges, but the benefits of fostering outweigh these. She says people who have children already, shouldn’t be put off fostering:   “My children have always got on really well with our foster children. It is a nice family dynamic as foster children appreciate having other young people around. Fostering is without a doubt the best decision I ever made.   If you are thinking about it go for it. You won’t regret it.” Hounslow’s Fostering Team runs fortnightly live information sessions on Microsoft Teams. If you are interested in taking part, please email: fostering@hounslow.gov.uk and we will send you joining instructions. The next information sessions are: Tuesday 23 November 2021 at 6pm and Tuesday 7 December 2021 at 11am with more to be organised in 2022. Check our website for details: www.hounslow.gov.uk/fostering Alternatively, please call our fostering team on 020 8583 3426 for a friendly chat to answer any queries or questions, or fill in our the online form on our website to register your interest and one of the team will contact you.        

Creative Relationship and Sex Education transforms young people’s lives

Online RSE

The state of sex-ed “We watched a video of a dog giving birth” – 2007 “Mine started with a r*pe joke” – 2017 “I literally have no recollection of it” – 2019 These are all real Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) experiences from across the years and across the country. You can find more in our online ‘What’s your Sex-Ed Story?’ collection. The stories range from hilarious to shocking, from confusing to totally non-existent. They capture the wide-ranging spectrum of experiences people have when it comes to their own RSE. Although some of them seem amusing, there is a darker side. A lack of learning around topics like consent, gender and red flags in unhealthy relationships means that young people are more likely to have sexual experiences that are detrimental to their sexual health – both physically and emotionally. Statistics tells us that 86% of 16-24 year old women have been sexually harassed in public spaces (UN Women UK) and two-thirds of 18-24 year-old men feel pressured to display hyper-masculine behaviour (Future Men Survey). And it is those who are already marginalised that are most affected. LGBTQIA+ people are 150 times more likely to develop depression and anxiety compared to the rest of the population (IICSA) and transgender hate crimes recorded by police rose by 81% from 2018-2019 (BBC). Sexual health services continue to fail Black communities in the UK. Young people with disabilities are desexualised and their RSE deprioritised. Everyone has the right to an RSE that reflects themselves and the society they live in, so that they have the best chance of happy, safe relationships. What’s changing? Thankfully, RSE is finally compulsory in all UK secondary schools as of last year. And in 2019, the curriculum has had its first update since the year 2000. Although we consider there to be gaps in the guidance (no mention of pleasure whatsoever), things are moving forwards. However, in our experience schools and teachers still feel unprepared to teach the subject. A BETT survey found that 39% of secondary school teachers do not feel prepared to cover the RSE requirements and 47% of teachers expressed a lack of confidence in their ability to deliver RSE. We’re here to help. Creativity and RSE go hand in hand At Split Banana, we provide inclusive and relevant RSE, using creative teaching methods. We know that students are far less awkward talking about topics when they’re busy making or doing something. We’ve seen groups of young men openly discussing the stigma about crying in public whilst storyboarding together. We’ve seen students express delight at sketching bodies that we don’t usually see on our screens: fat bodies, queer bodies, disabled bodies. We also like to showcase art created by underrepresented people and communities, and relate to topics and events happening in popular culture. Getting creative with RSE means it’s more engaging and memorable. How we can help your school  We have a skilled team of trainers and facilitators with diverse expertise. We can support your school in a variety of ways: We can deliver creative RSE workshops to groups of young people on all sorts of topics: sexual health, gender, porn, body image, consent, to name a few. We can run these workshops in-person, or remote. We can train educators in bespoke or public training days, equipping them with confidence and skills to design and deliver quality RSE themselves. We can provide 1:1 consultations with your RSE lead to review your existing RSE curriculum and provide expert advice on lesson plans, resources, whole-school approaches and much more. Nice things people have said about us “We’re always impressed by the care and attention to detail SB put into their resources and prep for sessions, always centering content around the needs and context of their audience. And their sessions are so much fun!” – Body image workshops for Y9s “The facilitators are really knowledgeable and the focus on intersectionality and decanting normative perspectives was refreshing. Loved your openness in answering questions and sharing practice (including times you felt you’d made mistakes).” – Public 2-day RSE training “Not only was your advice incredibly insightful and useful but it was presented with a real understanding for the complexities faced by our staff and without judgement, making us feel really supported in our endeavors to improve!” – Consultation with Stretford High School Get in touch If you think that your school might benefit from some support, get in touch. We’re always happy to have a chat. Say hello@splitbanana.co.uk, call Matilda (Director at SB) on 07875946906 or visit our website to find out more.

Eating Disorders: can we help teenagers avoid them?

Eating Disorders Schools

Here at tastelife, we believe emphatically that yes, we can help our teenagers avoid developing an eating disorder!  We know that eating disorders often begin during adolescence, so the vision behind Youth Track: Understanding Eating Disorders, is to keep teens informed about this too-often taboo subject, as well as to provide those who work with them the means and the confidence to engage with it in a healthy way.     We believe that if young teenagers gain a clear understanding and healthy awareness of eating disorders, and understand why they might happen, they will be better equipped to avoid developing one themselves.  They will also be more compassionate and understanding towards others who struggle with an eating disorder, who often feel isolated and misunderstood.   We also know that by talking more openly about sensitive issues such as eating disorders, we give teens the opportunity to seek help earlier than they perhaps might have.  This is crucial because we also know that the earlier a person gets help for their eating disorder, the quicker the recovery.  It also means that they are less likely to regress in the future.  So rather than avoid these topics, let’s get talking about them!  In fact, both the Department for Education and the PSHE Association recommend that schools should address the topic of eating disorders.  Our link will take you to an online information pack, including a short document outlining this very point, as well as highlighting the ways in which Youth Track help you as a school to meet your statutory PSHE requirements.   Eating disorders steal life, sometimes literally.  We want our adolescents to enjoy their teenage years – and well beyond.  If we can open up a conversation around this topic then we give them the opportunity to stay mentally healthy – or to nip any issues in the bud.     If you would like to see some examples from the resource, then click HERE.     We can help you address this serious illness within your school.  The Youth Track USB has everything you need to run engaging and effective lessons, all for a one-off fee of only £50.        www.tastelifeuk.org/youth-track

Cardiff City Hall to host Wales’s biggest Mental Health Conference in 2022 with Frank Bruno MBE

mental health conference 2022 Frank Bruno MBE

The Headspace magazine are pleased to be working with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Show 2022 in Cardiff! Organised by Ajuda Event Management, Cardiff City Hall is due to host one of the biggest Mental Health and Wellbeing events in the UK on 10th May 2022 to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, with Frank Bruno MBE in attendance as keynote speaker! The all-day event will welcome over 1,000 guests to the Welsh capital to raise awareness and develop knowledge on a wide range of topics including workplace mental health, suicide prevention, eating disorder awareness, men’s mental health, bereavement, diversity & inclusion, youth mental health, mindset, substance misuse, and much more. Included in the day is over 35 live seminars, 70 exhibitors in our exhibition and lots of networking opportunities. Organisations joining on the day include Samaritans, NSPCC, BEAT, Action for Children, 2 Wish Upon a Star, and National Centre for Mental Health among many more. The event is supported and sponsored by Ajuda Training and Precision Biotics.  Frank Bruno MBE will be presenting a keynote talk on his inspiring story of resilience and strength after facing years of ongoing mental health issues. His battle with mental health led him to form the Frank Bruno Foundation to help other people who are suffering. Tickets for Frank’s talk begin at £25 per person, with the option to upgrade to a dining experience with Frank.  Other speakers include founder of 2WishUponAStar Charity and recent Pride of Britain recipient Rhian Mannings MBE, former professional footballer Neville Southall MBE, Paralympic athlete Andy Lewis MBE, Member of the Senedd Jack Sargeant and a host of special guests will be speaking on mental health and wellbeing for this monumental event. Event director Dawn Evans says: “Following such a difficult few years for all, I could see there was a clear need for a bigger and more extensive event around mental health and wellbeing in the UK. The team at Ajuda always strive to provide our customers with the training and events that really matter to them, so we decided to create an event to accommodate the rising need for mental health and wellbeing training.” Tickets for the event are already available to book, with entry to the exhibition free and seminar tickets at just £5 per person. Tickets can be ordered on Eventbrite or by contacting the Ajuda Events team on 02922 400382 or events@ajuda.org.uk