Local NHS charity leads World Mental Health Day Schools Project in Sussex and Hampshire
6 September 2022
Local mental health charity, Heads On are providing a schools’ project for this year’s World Mental Health Day. Heads On is the official charity for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust who provide mental health services in Sussex and children and adolescent mental health services in Hampshire and Sussex.
The World Federation for Mental Health have announced the theme for this year's event is 'Making Mental Health and Wellbeing for All a Global Priority' and Heads On have created their own campaign around this theme.
World Mental Health Day falls on Monday 10 October 2022. Heads On are encouraging schools across the three counties to sign up to receive their PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) lesson, plans, resources and assembly introductions. Heads On are also asking participating schools to hold their own visual event by encouraging students to host a 'come as you are dress down day' with suggested donations of £1 from participating students. Heads On suggest schools hold this event the week before and after World Mental Health Day to give them the opportunity to participate on a day that best suits the school.
Abi Harley, Community and Individuals Fundraiser at Heads On, said: “All the resources for this year's project are around promoting good mental health and introducing mindfulness activities. Here at Heads On, we are extremely passionate about encouraging young people of all ages to have conversations about their feelings and hopefully provide some ideas on how to self-help and know where to seek help from. We have therefore designed PSHE lesson plans for primary and secondary schools whilst consulting with our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to produce the resources.
“We really want the visual event to be as inclusive as possible so all students can participate without feeling excluded. Parents are not required to purchase any new clothes or fancy dress outfits, and students can wear whatever clothes they would like. All money raised will be used by CAMHS to help enhance and support their services.
“We have worked in collaboration with NHS Charities across the country to help produce this project so that other Trusts’ charities can also use these resources within their own counties, so keep your eyes open for schools across the country taking part too.”
To find out more about the project, or to register your school is interested, please email headsoncharity