About our service

We run a series of workshops dealing with mental wellbeing issues in primary and secondary schools, colleges, universities in the borough and have piloted several programs including 1-to-1 support in a support working led ‘lunchtime drop-in’. We also offer the option of an assembly alongside each workshop.

What can I expect?

Workshops last between 45 minutes and 1 hour and an additional assembly lasts an extra 10-15 minutes. Some of our programs are several weeks long.

The content is designed to fulfil the Department of Education’s statutory guidance and presented in a way that’s engaging and appropriate for each age group.  We are always happy to specifically design something to meet your requirements.

Primary Schools

‘How am I feeling today’ Workshop

This is an interactive session encouraging pupils to join in with the discussion through exercises and activities.  The 45 minute-1 hour workshop covers the main topics of wellbeing at a general level and includes

Recognising and talking about emotions – The pupils are encourages to name as many emotions as they can.  Are my emotions appropriate and proportionate?

  • Caring for their wellbeing – The importance of rest and physical activity
  • Feeling sad and lonely – Why it’s important to talk about this with an adult
  • Why lots of people experience times when they feel sad and low
‘When I’m feeling sad’ Workshop

This 45 minute-1 hour workshop covers in more depth the negative impacts of mental health including:

  • Self-care techniques – The importance of rest and physical activity, spending time with family and friends. The benefits of hobbies and interests.
  • Feeling sad and lonely – how it can affect you and why talking to an adults is the first step to feeling better.
  • What is bullying and cyberbullying – (where age appropriate) and how this can have a lasting affect on how you feel.
  • Why a lot of people have times when they feel sad and low – and what to do if you ever feel like this and whom to speak to in school
Anxiety Workshop (year 6)

The impact of the pandemic as well as the upcoming change to life in secondary school has left many young people struggling with anxiety.  This 45 minute-1 hour workshop is designed to help young people recognise the symptoms of anxiety and develop resilience-building tools:

  • Learning about the affects stress and anxiety can have on the body and mind
  • Understanding the symptoms of stress – fight, flight or freeze response
  • Seeking help and how to confiding in friends and family can help
  • Finding out ways to manage stress and anxiety
  • Building resilience
Transition to Secondary School

This 45 minute-1 hour workshop is designed to help children in Year 6 and those newly arrived at Secondary school handle the stressful aspect of joining a new school and coping with new worries including:

  • Joining a larger school with older children
  • Feeling lonely and isolated
  • Making new friends
  • Struggling with school work
  • New teachers
  • Bullying
  • General stress and anxiety
Resilience for Teachers and other support staff

This is a workshop for teachers to support their emotional resilience.  Teachers are trained to look out for signs of mental distress in pupils but often don’t have the time to consider their own mental wellbeing. This 45 minute-1 hour workshop delves into the issues of developing resilience and covers areas such as:

  • Defining resilience and why it is so important
  • Understanding psychological theories of control and our mindset
  • Developing a growth mindset
  • Relaxation techniques to use in times of stress
  • Expanding our coping strategies

Secondary Schools

Introduction to mental health

A 45-minute-1 hour workshop, giving pupils a targeted introduction to mental wellbeing.

  • Who has mental health?
  • Young people’s statistics on poor mental health
  • Indicators of good mental health
  • Having a sense of your own wellbeing
  • Coping with stress and anxiety
  • Building tools for resilience including the 5 ways to wellbeing
  • Tackling mental health stigma
  • Where to get help
Anxiety and depression

This 45-minute- 1 hour workshop is designed to help young people recognise the symptoms, and develop resilience-building tools:

  • Anxiety and stress – Managing the effects and coping techniques and exercises
  • Depression – Seeking help and how confiding in friends, family and professional help will lead to recovery Loneliness – Learning from this, the importance of valuing family and friends help
  • Tensions within the home
Handling stress and anxiety particularly at exam time

A 45-minute-1 hour workshop designed to look at the effects of stress and anxiety and particularly that caused by impending exams.

  • Stress and anxiety statistics among UK young people
  • The importance of good mental health
  • Defining stress and why it affects you physically
  • Physical and psychological symptoms of stress and anxiety
  • Case study: my experience of severe stress and anxiety and how I learnt to manage it
  • Exercises and self-help tips for managing stress and anxiety
  • Dealing with exam stress
Self-esteem and self-image

This 45-minute-1 hour workshop deals with the core beliefs that effect our self-image and how it effects our mental health.

  • What is self-esteem
  • How you feel with healthy self-esteem
  • The characteristics of low self-esteem
  • Identifying and challenging core beliefs
  • How our core beliefs effect our everyday interactions
  • What we mean by self-image
  • How self-esteem and self-image influence each other
  • Five ways to build your self-esteem and self-image
Resilience for teachers and other support staff

This is a workshop for teachers to support their emotional resilience. Teachers are trained to look out for signs of mental distress in pupils but often don’t have the time to consider their own mental wellbeing. This 45-minute-1 hour workshop delves into the issues of developing resilience and covers areas such as:

  • Defining resilience and why it is so important
  • Understanding psychological theories of control and our mindset
  • Developing a growth mindset
  • Relaxation techniques to use in times of stress
  • Expanding our coping strategies
Lifeskills Programme – preparing for the transition to adulthood

During the transition from adolescence to adulthood our resilience is tested frequently. For many this is the first time they experience symptoms of anxiety and depression.  This a series of 6 workshops for those in year 12 and 13 is delivered online and designed to share essential knowledge to prepare for the next big stage in life.  The topics were selected through focus groups with 16 – 19 year olds and include:

  • Keeping yourself safe
  • Bullying and Abusive relationships
  • Dealing with sexual harassment
  • Managing finances
  • Online abuse
  • General anxiety
  • Depression
  • Build self-esteem

Many topics are co-facilitated with relevant experts including Achieving for Children, The Money Charity, Met Police, Mothers Against Mugging amongst others. 

Peer Mentoring Training

We offer young people the opportunity to train as peer mentors, or to have a peer mentor providing long-term focused interventions to support young people to build their confidence and self-esteem, support low mood and address issues causing anxiety.   There is huge value in the training content.  Taking students through the 4 week training program is a way to break down mental health stigma and create a supportive peer-to-peer culture in schools. 

‘Lunchtime drop-in’ – 1-to-1 support

Talking about our feelings or worries with someone can really help us to understand our thoughts and problems.  The lunchtime drop-in is currently running in one secondary school on a pilot basis.  Sessions are run by a Support Worker – there to listen, offer follow up sessions and help identify possible steps and signposting options as a way towards feeling better.

How do I access this service?

If you are interested in Richmond Borough Mind coming into your site to deliver a workshop in person or online please email: [email protected]

View our Brochure by clicking the image below:

Form Primary Schools

For Secondary Schools