This week, the 10th to 16th of May, is Mental Health Awareness Week and the Scouts have lots of resources to help our Scouts and volunteers. Check out what’s available below:
Webinar events
The national inclusion team are hosting a number of events this week which anyone can join with no registration needed. Some may even be available afterwards as recordings.
On Tuesday evening, the 11th at 7pm, there’s an interactive walkthrough of the new mental health and wellbeing training unit to prepare our leaders and volunteers for the future as part of ongoing learning.
Then on Wednesday evening, the 12th at 7pm, to celebrate Wellbeing Wednesday you can hear live stories and top tips on how to support the wellbeing of yourself and your section.
Finally on Friday 14th, again at 7pm, there’s a session on how to start the conversation so that we can support mental health and wellbeing through having those vital conversations with our young people. It may be hard but it is vital!
The details for all of these can be found on the Scout website along with the links and passwords required to join.
Resources to help you
As Scout leaders and supporters, we do, however, have a responsibility to support wellbeing as best we can and to help breakdown the stigma around Mental Health difficulties. To do this, it can help us to learn more about how to spot the signs of Mental Health difficulties and to know where to signpost on for support
Find out more from the Scouts
- Read our Chief Scout talk about mental health in GQ magazine.
- See the Scout advice about the life issue of mental health.
- The Wellbeing Champions pages also have good advice.
- If a loved one has been lost, the bereavement pages has some advice on how to handle this tough situation sensitively.
Activities to run with your Scouts
- The ‘Better Mental Health for all’ project – part of A Million Hands.
- Wellbeing Champions
- Mental health activities on the Activity finder
External resources
Find more resources at partner websites including:
- The Mental Health Foundation
- Mind (England and Wales based)
- SAMH (Scotland based)
- Inspire (Northern Ireland based)