Mental Health Awareness Training For The New School Term
Crossways Community is offering Mental Health Awareness training to Primary and Secondary Schools in West Kent.
Our lessons have been developed to help Primary and Secondary Schools comply with the upcoming Statutory Guidance for PHSE for mental wellbeing. The topics can be tailored to suit each year group and there is no charge to state schools. For private schools we charge a reasonable hourly rate.
This can be for assemblies, PHSE lessons, Year 6 Preparation for senior school and Coping Strategy Courses such as exams and bullying. The course for primary school Year 6 pupils aims to prepare them for the transition to senior school. However, younger year groups may benefit as pressure mounts for entry to 11+.
Each course can be tailored to suit the audience and to fit into the school timetable. The sessions are designed to cover the following:
- Challenging perceptions of reality and to see how labels are used to ‘pigeonhole’ people
- Understanding that listening is important in valuing people
- Looking at the ways we communicate and how this affects others
- Seeing how we relate to people and helping us to understand them better
- Giving students ways in which they can spot and prevent poor mental health in themselves and others
Each session includes interactive elements which help pupils explore their own attitudes. See our schools leaflet for more details
Crossways Community Chief Executive, Christopher Munday says:
“If young people understand that mental illnesses, such as depression, body anxiety or exam-related stress are relatively common and nothing to be afraid or ashamed of, then they are more likely to recognise signs and symptoms in themselves or others and ask for support. The stigma of talking about these common illnesses must end and we all have a responsibility to ensure things improve. ”
What the experts say
Psychologist Prof Tanya Byron says:
“Just as we look after our children’s physical health, it’s vital we offer support for their mental well-being.”
Lucie Russell of the Young Minds charity says:
“Children and young people are growing up in a toxic climate. They exist in a 24/7 online world where they never switch off, where cyberbullying, consumerism and pornography, sexting and the pressure to have the perfect body bombard them daily, where any exam grade below a C means failure and employment prospects are bleak.We know from our extensive work with young people that the support they so desperately need when they aren’t coping is grossly lacking but we also know from services that they are under huge funding pressures and are overwhelmed with demand.”
Crossways also run mental health awareness programmes for businesses, churches and community groups.
How to book?
To book training email steve@crosswayscommunity.org.uk