The Cheltenham Town Community Trust's KIDSTalk programme is working to help recognise and improve mental wellbeing in children in Gloucestershire.
Having recognised the growing issue of mental health effecting young children, where statistics show 1 in 10 school children between the ages of 5-16 years old being affected.
The Trust has been working hard to put a project together for primary school children based on mental health and ways to cope with how they might be feeling, targeting year 5 and year 6 as they start to be faced with the thought of moving to secondary school.
In the process of building the project the Trust has been into Cold Aston Primary School to discuss what we have put together and what they feel from a teacher’s perspective would need to be added or taken out.
This has been very useful for both parties and has allowed the Trust to develop the project further. The topics covered in the project are:
• 5 Steps of Wellbeing
• Identifying and Talking About Feelings
• Thinking Positive
• Link Between Mental and Physical Health
• Body Image
• Transition from Primary School to Secondary School
• Relationships/Friendships
Through delivery of the project it involves classroom-based activities, and also practical activities to see how some of the topics can be linked into physical activity and sport.
The project is also going to act as a CPD opportunity for the teachers as they will receive a PE pack which will contain the practical sessions delivered through the project. The Trust are currently piloting the project and it will be released for schools in September.
Should you have any questions or enquiries regarding the new KIDSTalk Project please contact daisy.wheeler@ctfccp.com or alex.parker@ctfccp.com.