Drop in events and support for schools for World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education. This year it is on 10 October and the theme is 'mental health is a universal human right'.

People wanting to find out about support available to help with mental health can drop into County Hall in Trowbridge on 10 October and find advice and information.

Wiltshire Council public health teams will be available between 10.30am and 2.30pm offering information on how to boost your overall wellbeing. The teams will be offering some mini activities designed around wellbeing techniques such as gratitude, acceptance, and mindfulness.

The charity, Rethink, will be on hand providing an opportunity to learn about its inclusion team, peer support, volunteer opportunities and the Happy Café ethos. They will offer support to explore and try wellbeing techniques and activities aligned with the NHS: 5 steps to mental wellbeing (opens new window). There will be discussion on greener health ideas and a herbal tea tasting experience.

During the week the council is running Youth Mental Health First Aid (opens new window) training sessions for 15 staff from primary and secondary schools to help teachers and all staff spot the signs of a mental health problem, provide advice on how to begin supportive conversations with young people and guide them to the right help.

The two-day course strengthens work schools already do teaching about mental health and providing a range of pastoral support for 8 to 18-year-olds covering:

• emotional, mental, social and psychological well-being
• eating disorders, self harm, suicide
• depression, anxiety, psychosis
• bullying, cyberbullying
• promoting protective factors

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Health said: Talking about mental health is no longer the taboo subject it once was, and we can share and seek support more readily. We all need that support sometimes, and I hope people, who want to talk through issues or simply find out more information, will join us at County Hall on 10 October. Since COVID-19, concerns about young people's mental health have risen and children and young people need to know they can voice their concerns and find support. Working together to address this is very important and I'm glad that we have this international day to reflect, review and ensure we are all doing everything we can.

Kate Blackburn, Director of Public Health for Wiltshire said: We know people may struggle with mental health and also feel they can't discuss it. We want them to know there is always support available. This event helps underline that message and I hope many people are going to join us on 10 October for a chat and to find out more about what support is available. No one has to be alone and we want that message to be heard loud and clear.

Young people who need support and advice can find this on the Wiltshire https://www.onyourmind.org.uk/ (opens new window) website or use the SHOUT service by texting WILTS to 85258.