New mental health workshops for primary schools

The Courtyard launches new mental health workshops for primary schools in Herefordshire

The award-winning mental health project, called #TalkAwayDontWalkAway, was launched last year to help open up the discussion around mental health with Herefordshire’s youth and support them with ways in which they can help themselves and one another.  Over the past 12 months, The Courtyard’s Education Team has delivered workshops to multiple students from 10 different secondary schools, and is now also offering the workshops to primary schools.

During the workshops, students are given the chance to explore positive wellbeing and mental health more openly outside of the classroom, whilst building confidence, team work and self-esteem.

“We’re so excited to be able to bring these workshops to primary school children across the county” said Education Officer and Youth Theatre Leader, Rebecca Cook, “at a time when 1 in 6 young people are expected to experience an anxiety condition, it’s more important than ever that we support these young people to feel as though they understand mental health and have strategies to take care of their wellbeing.”

The county’s primary schools will be offered one hour workshops for KS1 pupils, inspired by the text The Wolf’s Colourful Coat by Avril McDonald and two hour workshops for KS2 pupils, which involve a variety of interactive exercises and activities to explore mental health more openly.

#TalkAwayDontWalkAway was launched with assistance from Children in Need and Hereford Community Foundation and won the Hereford Times Health and Social Care Awards Mental Health Award in 2019.

If you’d like to find out more, including how your primary school can book a workshop, contact The Courtyard at takepart@courtyard.org.uk or 01432 346526.