14^th January 2011

Exciting Educational and Training resource on Emotional Health and Wellbeing to be launched in Hinckley and Bosworth.

Since January 2010, the Charity Young Minds has been working with Extended Services in Hinckley and Bosworth to produce a resource that aims to improve the Emotional Health and Mental Wellbeing of young people moving through primary to secondary school transition across the locality

One of the key objectives of the project was to ensure that children and young people from the ages of 7-19 appropriately informed, and influenced the development of the resource through sharing their views, experiences and ideas about this significant milestone in their lives.

Hundreds  of children and young people were consulted either face to face, by questionnaires or in focus groups in order to gather their views and experience of transition. We also were keen to hear from children whose voices are rarely heard including those from disadvantaged and socially excluded groups.  We received over 300 completed questionnaires from children in years 6 and 7 and talked to many others through focus groups and at local events. A youth steering group was set up for the duration of the project and led on the development and design of the resource.

Through this wide consultation, and with the active participation of young people we have gained a wealth of information about young people’s experience of moving secondary school. It was clear that some children draw upon learnt strategies to manage the move and this helps them cope with the everyday ups and downs of life. However we know that  living in family settings that are in stressful or at a disadvantage in some way. This additional pressures and challenges make the transition into secondary schools even more of a difficult process. For instance they  may struggle with changes to routine, with friendships and other relationships, find it harder to focus on the unfamiliar tasks and meet the expectations of setting into a new schools. Children need to be taught new skills and strategies to help them grow in confidence. The adults in children’s lives have a hugely important role to help children learn these skills and good coping strategies.

The training resource developed by young people is designed to to help school staff reflect on children’s experiences and to think about why some young people may be more vulnerable. The resource aims to support schools to develop and enhance the way in which all adults can support all children through this hugely important time.

We hope that through this wide consultation we have been able to capture the voice of young people attending schools in the borough of Hinckley & Bosworth. The resource consists of two elements :

A set of materials (exercises, presentations and suggested reading) for adults in schools that can be used flexibly to support existing training or to form the content for short  staff training sessions.

• An accompanying DVD, made with participation by children locally, provides a tool that can be used to support training and illustrate some of the themes and issues raised. Young people are keen that year 6 and 7 pupils get to see the film so that they know that are not unique in coping with a multitude of feelings and that this will help them prepare them and help them settle quickly.

The resource is to be launched virtually in the next month and will be advertised to all schools directly as well as linked into a range of relevant websites.

For further information about these training materials please contact Rose Panumudipo rose.panumudipo@youngminds.org.uk 07817771636

Moira O’Hagan, the Locality Partnership Co-ordinator for Hinckley & Bosworth Borough  said ‘I think this is an excellent piece of work. Moving onto secondary school is a challenge for all young people. The young people involved have worked really hard to alert adults to their worries and I really hope schools can make good use of it to support the year 6 and year 7 pupils in their care’

Rose Panumudipo Young Minds Regional VIK Worker for East Midlands said ‘

“What impacted on me was the enthusiasm of everyone and I realised that transition is not just about celebration & moving on but allowing the pupils to grieve their loss of childhood as they becoming young people”

Nigel Roberts from Talking Donkey Films said ‘What has been exciting about this project has been the passion with which the young people have talked about the issue and their desire that what they feel will be heard and understood.

Transitions from primary to secondary school is available here.

Notes to editor

1. YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional well being and mental health of children and young people and empowering their parents and carers. www.youngminds.org.uk and www.vik.org.uk

1. Talking Donkey Films produced the DVD. Talking Donkey films work with local community groups and young people to help give them a platform to express their views and hopes on issues that are important to them. www.talkingdonkey.co.uk