Mental Health Awareness Week: Tackling Loneliness

To begin the week, our Mental Health Ambassadors (who can be identified by their purple lanyards) led sessions with Years 9 and 10 during Tutor Time. In Tuesday’s Senior Collect, striking green fabric held centre stage for the meeting to take place around. The green ribbon is the international symbol for mental health awareness. Fryer had the same experience the following day.

Sally Saunders, Head of Year 9 and PSHE, led the Collect, reminding everyone of the range of support available at Leighton Park, from our pastoral team to an intimate tutor system, whereby students see their tutor three times a day. Sally also spoke about the statistics around loneliness. Student Wellbeing Ambassadors then shared the message ‘Be Kind Always’ as they handed out specially commissioned green pens.

Dominic in Year 10 reflected, “Whilst students gained a pen from the experience, I have found the affects have been far more profound, as it has helped to spark a conversation around being kind, as well as conversations about stigma surrounding this year’s theme ‘loneliness’ and what we as a community can do to help those who experience loneliness.”

Leighton Park’s student Wellbeing Ambassadors span from Year 7 to Upper Sixth. Present in the community as a friendly face and listening ear, they receive regular guidance on mental health and wellbeing issues, alongside safeguarding training.

Gracie in Year 7 commented, “One of my highlights of Mental Health Awareness Week was the Fryer Collect given by Sally and handing out pens afterwards. Also having some very good conversations with my friends about this year’s theme – ‘loneliness’.” In her role as Wellbeing Ambassador, Gracie has supported students in getting the help they need and has even delivered a presentation about eating disorders with her fellow ambassadors.

During the lesson we talked about what can cause eating disorders, what the signs are, as well as what to do if you think you or a friend has an eating disorder. Throughout the session we engaged the students in the topic whilst maintain a respectful approach.” reflected Dominic.

Jo Toovey, Biology and Psychology Teacher, who oversees and looks after the ambassadors, commented “Our student Wellbeing Ambassadors are working on different ways to support and promote wellbeing in the student body, including the design and delivery of Tutor Time resources on topics which are pertinent to specific year groups at school. They are doing a great job with this and are really stepping up to support the wellbeing of their peers, as well as their own mental health, organisational, collaboration and leadership skills.”

Also having recently been reintroduced to the School is our Sixth Form Peer Mentors. Following their training, this week 22 members of the Lower Sixth began working with students on a one to one basis or in year group areas. To draw the week to a close, in PSHE students then got creative to renew the wall display outside the Castle Room.

Staff have also been taking time for their mental health, booking in 10 minutes with Massage Therapist, Alice Ledson, who is better known on the Park as our Netball Coach! Break times have also been enjoyed communally over juicy fruit skewers, buttery croissants and bacon butties.