Heads Up programme hits local schools

By Mark Stevens
21/5/19

HeadsUP Mental Health Awareness has teamed up with the Exeter Chiefs Community Team to offer mental health awareness sessions to local schools.

As mental health is hitting the headlines more and more, helped in part by the increasingly high-profile reports of mental health issues within sport, the need to educate youngsters to look after their mental health, is crucial.

Founded by Paula Baker from Exmouth, the HeadsUP programme has three main aims:

• To get young people confident in talking about mental health
• To empower and equip young people to look after their mental health
• To educate young people on the positive relationship between mental and physical health

Already, the Chiefs team and HeadsUP have been hard at work, delivering sessions to Key Stage 1 youngsters at Brixington, Honiton, Lady Sewards, Rockbeare, St Peters (Budliegh), St Peters Prep (Lympstone), St Thomas, Tipston St John and Whimple primary schools.

Each session is made up of interactive group work and discussion, followed by physical activities linking in with the theory highlighted in the earlier sessions.

The link between physical health and mental health is the core message of the sessions. If an individual is fit and healthy, they are more likely to have a positive mental attitude. They will probably be more productive at school and have more energy to cope with the stresses and strains of everyday life.

The sessions are aimed at being a preventative measure. The hope is that if young people can learn to look after their and their peer’s mental health, it will allow them to build their resilience ready for adult life, and all that brings with it.

Paula said: “Teaming up with the Exeter Chiefs Community Team has proved to be a huge benefit for the youngsters we are talking to. Seeing such a high-profile sports team take such an active part in mental health well-being, can only encourage youngsters, that look up to the team, to look at their own mental and physical health.

It is that link between physical and mental health that the sessions really focus on, and having the Chiefs team take part in the sessions really emphasise that.”

For more information on HeadsUP Mental Health Awareness and the joint sessions with the Exeter Chiefs Community Team please go to www.headsupmha.com