Dartmouth Academy hits pause for youth mental health awareness

Taking care of your mind is just as important as your screen time

In a world where scrolling can often lead to spiraling, Dartmouth Academy is hitting pause and encouraging students to #ControlYourScroll.

As part of Youth Mental Health Day on September 19, the day highlighted the importance of digital wellbeing for young people.

Recent research has highlighted the impact of the online world on young people's mental health. A survey conducted by the mental health charity stem4 found that 93% of young people had encountered frightening content online. Their concerns ranged from misinformation and online scams to cyberbullying and the sharing of inappropriate images.

The South Hams Mental Health Support Team recently came to speak to teaching staff at the school and their Educational Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) have also given an assembly to pupils.

EMHPs work across education and healthcare to provide mental health support for children and young people in schools and colleges. They support schools to develop a whole school approach to their mental health provision through:

· Student workshops & Participation events

· School Staff Workshops

· Mental Health Ambassadors + Training

· Mental Health Strategy

· Parent Workshops

· 1:1 and Group Support

When visiting the school the team spoke to pupils about how they can provide low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy for those dealing with worries or fears and help those who are dealing with low mood or struggling to control their emotions. They also provided some top tips for managing your mental health, such as eating well, keeping active and staying connected to others.

The school also has a group of Year 11 pupils who run a twice weekly ‘buddy up’ club for those who may need to talk or sit with someone reassuring etc. They also have a social club for pupils to play board games and sit and chat with staff and other pupils at lunchtimes.

Paul Giradot, headteacher at Dartmouth Academy said: “I am so grateful to the South Hams Mental Health Support Team for taking the time to not only come and speak with our staff but also our students. It’s so important to make sure that all our young people know firstly that it’s ok to ask for help and secondly where to find it.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West said: “It’s great to hear about all the work Dartmouth Academy is doing around supporting young people’s mental health. The ‘buddy up’ club is a fantastic way of making sure that everyone knows where to go if they need someone to talk to and many thanks go to the older pupils that volunteer for this.”