Bespoke interactive mental health and wellbeing workshops for schools that teach tried and tested approaches to support children and young people with their mental health.
To find out more and book Mental Health Workshops For Schools please visit our contact us page, call 0121 271 0550 or email info@altruistuk.com.
Interactive mental health awareness workshops and Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) days for young people aged 9 - 19 years in schools and colleges. These tried and tested workshops are proven to increase understanding of mental health, increase confidence in managing difficult feelings and increase knowledge of how and where to seek help.
Workshops are best delivered onsite at your school’s premises in a classroom environment to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 30 pupils per session. Workshops are facilitated by an experienced Altruist facilitator and a trained young person volunteer who shares their personal experiences of mental ill-health. All pupils are given a support card or leaflet which provides useful mental health helplines and websites.
Our tried and tested workshops were developed in partnership with Forward Thinking Birmingham and the University of Birmingham. Workshops are usually between 50 minutes - 1 hour long.
Why should your school take part?
- 1 in 6 children aged 5 to 16 were identified as having a probable mental health disorder, that’s around 5 children in every class. (Office of National Statistics)
- Pupils who have a mental health problems are more likely to be excluded from school than their peers. (Centre for Mental Health)
- Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14. (Mental Health Foundation)
- In the last three years, the likelihood of young people having a mental health problem has increased by 50%. (The Children’s Society)
- Suicide was the leading cause of death for males and females aged between five to 34 in 2019. (Young Minds)
Mental Health Workshops
Our mental health workshops include a range of interactive activities to raise awareness of mental health along with information on specific mental health issues using young person focused case studies. Workshops are tailored around the needs of your school and can be general mental health awareness workshops or be focused on a specific issue e.g. self-harm.
Workshops are delivered by an experienced facilitator and a trained young person volunteer who shares their personal experiences of mental ill-health.
What are the benefits of Mental Health Workshops For Schools?
Our workshops aim to:
- Increase young people’s understanding of mental health and some of the different mental health issues
- Reduce the stigma attached to mental health amongst young people. Make them more comfortable talking about their own mental health.
- Support young people in managing their own stress levels and building resiliency skills
- Give young people the knowledge of where to seek help should they or someone they know need it
What is resilience training for children and young people?
School and college can be stressful experiences for children and young people. From day-to-day lessons and interactions with other children and teachers, to high-pressure situations such as exams. Children and young people, like everyone else, can also experience dramatic and unexpected changes in their lives. The ability to ‘bounce back’ from these challenges is called resilience. Resilience training for children and young people builds resilience skills, teaching them how to deal with challenging situations and helping them to better cope with stress and adversity.
Mental Health Workshop Outcomes
Following one of our workshops attended by 33 young people, we found that:
- 91% of the attendees said that they could talk more openly about mental health after the workshop.
- 97% of participants agreed that there should be more education regarding mental health
- 96% said that mental health should be taught in schools
- 76% said that they had never been taught about mental health in school.
Example Mental Health Workshops For Schools Content
Primary Schools
- What are emotions and feelings?
- Causes of stress and anxiety
- SATS and transition to secondary school
- Personal experience presentation
- Strategies to manage negative feelings
- Where to seek support
Secondary Schools and Sixth Form
- What is mental health?
- Anxiety disorders, Depression, Eating disorders and Self-harm
- Personal experience presentation
- Identifying the early signs of an issue
- Building resilience using the Five Ways to Well-being
- Where to seek support
Testimonials
“I think the subject content of this mental health training is great - the pitch is just right for primary children and conveys important messages in a way that they can access.” Loretta Walkerdine, Year 6 teacher and UKS2 Phase Director, Balsall Common Primary School Academy
“The mental health sessions went extremely well and all our pupils (and they were not the easiest bunch to keep engaged!!) were engaged for the whole session, in particular, when Jasmine told her story, you could hear a pin drop! I spoke to the pupils after the session I sat in on and all of them thought it was worthwhile.” Mrs P Evans, Assistant Headteacher, Hall Green Secondary School
“When Daniel spoke of his experience, I found it very moving. The children were able to relate to how he felt. He spoke openly emphasising the need for an awareness of Mental Health Well-being, and what to do if a person/child has low feelings. I feel the programme is suitably linked to PSHE in schools and was delivered at an age-appropriate level.” Mary Orton, Pastoral Manager, St. Jude’s Catholic Primary School
Course Location:
We are based in Birmingham but are experienced in providing training throughout the UK, depending on your school’s requirements.
How much does the Mental Health Workshops For Schools course cost?
Prices start from £250 + VAT per workshop.
How to Book:
To find out more about our Mental Health Workshop For Schools course, please visit or contact us page, call 0121 271 0550 or email us at info@altruistuk.com.
We also offer training for teachers including the Senior Mental Health Lead Training, Youth Mental Health First Aid Course and the Youth MHFA Half Day Course.
