Oct. 4, 2023
The World Health Organisation recognizes World Mental Health Day on 10th October every year. This year’s theme is ‘Mental health is a universal human right.'
We have curated a selection of free resources in this blog that you can use to get involved, raise awareness, and contribute to the cause. Please feel free to share them.
The Anna Freud Centre is a world-leading Mental Health charity for children and families that has developed and delivered pioneering mental health care for over 60 years. Their vision is a world where children and families are supported effectively to build on their strengths and to achieve their goals in life.
The Anna Freud Centre run Schools in Mind, a free network for school staff and allied professionals which shares practical, academic and clinical expertise regarding the wellbeing and mental health issues that affect schools. The network provides a trusted source of up-to-date and accessible information and resources that school leaders, teachers and support staff can use to support the mental health and wellbeing of the children and young people in their care.
Schools can sign up to Mentally Healthy Schools for a free World Mental Health Day resource toolkit. Download the toolkit here.
There are plenty more resources on their site, including 10 tips for school leaders and senior staff on supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Now & Beyond are a grant-giving organisation committed to making a difference to the mental health of young people up and down the UK. They aim to provide much-needed help in mental health provision by giving grants to organisations and charities that work with young people, their families, and educators. They have produced the Now & Beyond Directory; the UK's first multidisciplinary directory for children and young people's mental health and wellbeing providers. All the service providers listed within this platform have been approved and vetted in accordance with our onboarding policy here. Each member listed specialises in children and young people. They also offer support for both teachers and parents.
The Mental Health Foundation has a range of publications that schools can order and are free to download. They include how to look after your mental health; how to manage and reduce stress, and how to overcome fear and anxiety. They also have a range of resources that schools can use to promote World Mental Health Day.
Young Minds charity runs a #HelloYellow campaign to support young people’s Mental Health. On World Mental Health Day they are encouraging schools to come together to wear yellow and show their support.
Their resources page hosts a range of free downloads for children, teachers, parents, companies and just about anyone else who wants to get involved.
To support schools, we have created a range of resources within Purple Mash that teachers can use to discuss Mental Health and Wellbeing in schools, you can find all the resources within the World Mental Health Day area. In there, subscribers can find templates to help them create posters, poems, leaflets and more, all designed to inspire thought and discussion about mental health. There’s even a quiz to put their knowledge to the test.
If you don’t have a Purple Mash subscription, you can access the resources with a free 14-day trial. Find out more about how Purple Mash can help you bring the whole curriculum to life and register your trial here.
For parents, we’ve worked with experts in the field to put together the Parent’s Toolkit for Wellbeing. Published in 2021, the toolkit aims to provide parents with the tools to identify and respond to their child’s unique emotional health needs – a perfect booklet to share with parents on #WMHD2023.
Don’t worry if you’re from a school, we haven’t forgotten about you. Our wellbeing pack for schools includes a selection of resources and lesson plans for staff and students, as well as a selection of helplines and support services. Download your pack here.
Striver is our PE and wellbeing platform which is packed with lesson plans and resources. As well as a full scheme of work for PE there are dedicated wellbeing units for each year group. You don’t need any specialist training to deliver impactful wellbeing sessions with Striver. Simply follow our step-by-step lesson plans covering topics such as yoga, mindfulness and nutrition.
We have put together a collection of free Yoga and Mindfulness resources for you to download, or start a 14-day trial to access the full range of Striver wellbeing units.
Dot Com Digital is a unique programme that supports children’s personal development and offers them a safe place to have a voice. It’s a values-based approach to safeguarding and wellbeing that empowers children to develop confidence and make safe choices.
There are a selection of lessons available for schools within the Wellbeing pack. Download the Wellbeing Pack and navigate to the Dot Com Digital session for access to the lessons plans and resources, which are all printable.