At a time when conversations around mental health are gaining momentum, it is crucial to extend the discourse to our younger generations. Children’s Mental Health Week, observed from February 5th to the 11th, serves as a timely reminder to prioritise the mental well-being of our children.
This year’s theme, “My Voice Matters,” resonates well with our Children & Young Person Coordinator, Nicola Watts and her mission to create environments where children feel empowered to speak up about their feelings and mental health.
To mark this occasion, we captured one of our workshops involving 10 primary school pupils. The objective was clear – to engage in open and honest conversations about mental health, emphasising the importance of acknowledging our feelings, sharing our problems, and not bearing the burden alone. The workshop aimed to create a safe space for these young minds, to express their thoughts and feelings, breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health from an early age.
Workshops such as these aim to engage pupils in open and honest conversations about mental health, emphasising the importance of acknowledging their feelings, sharing their problems, and not bearing the burden alone.
The pupils were vocal and insightful with their participation, sharing their key takeaways and providing their own tips for managing your mental health.
Although, at 2wish, we support those affected by the death of a child or young person, we strongly believe that mental health problems can manifest at any time in a person’s life. Contrary to common misconceptions, it doesn’t always take a major, traumatic event to trigger mental health issues. An event that could be commonly considered trivial can affect us all in different and profound ways. By initiating conversations early on, we can ensure that every child understands that their mental health concerns are justified and deserving of attention.
At 2wish, we have observed through our children’s support journeys, that the grief they are feeling can be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their mental health struggles. Oftentimes, pre-existing worries and stresses can have a significant impact on the child’s grief and general mental wellbeing. Because these factors aren’t typically deemed significant, and because the child isn’t at crisis point, these issues can go undiscovered, as the child doesn’t feel confident in speaking out, or possibly doesn’t acknowledge these feelings as a concern that needs to be addressed.
Sessions such as these are an important reminder to us all that ill mental health doesn’t need to be caused by significant events, and that all mental health concerns are legitimate and valid.
Watch the video below to see more about how the workshop is run and what the children learnt through engaging in this activity.
5 February 2024
