This year, the Mental Health Foundation announced ‘Loneliness’ as the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2022.
Taking place from Monday 9 May until Sunday 15 May 2022, the Council supported the campaign with a host of community events – see the photo gallery (right) for highlights.
One of the ways the Council supported the campaign was by encouraging young people to take time out to have some self-care.
Young people are at the heart of the campaign and one way the Council has been encouraging youngsters is via the dedicated Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Team.
Helping others to combat anxiety following Covid-19
After the challenges of the pandemic, it’s fair to say that many of us more than ever are feeling uncertain or anxious about the future.
This is why Project Delivery officers Vicki Andrew and Dionne Griffiths have been at the forefront of creating the ‘Take Time Activity Pack’ – a new resource to give young people in our communities the know-how to look after their wellbeing and take some time out for self-care.
An integral part of Mental Health Awareness Week and the ongoing health and wellbeing work the Council is doing with young people, ‘Take Time’ provides lots of encouraging steps to support mental health and wellbeing, not just for today but for the future too.
Vicki commented: “We created the Take Time campaign to link in and raise awareness of Mental Health Awareness Week. The activity pack has been created so that youth workers and educators can easily lead in workshops and information sessions which promote self-care and time for oneself.”
Dionne shared: “Sometimes being able to take even just 10 minutes of the day for self-care can seem impossible but it is still something that we can all seriously benefit from prioritising. Taking even very small periods of time can achieve so much for our health and wellbeing.”
Take the time to check out the new activity pack
From meditation, breathing exercises (see below left) and taking regular breaks from screen time and study, the pack includes lots of ideas on how you can support young people to make the most of regular self-care time and maintain a more positive mindset.
Dionne and Vicki are both new Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Officers for ages 5-25 covering North Ayrshire. Click the link to download their Take Time Activity Pack PDF and learn more…
And, if you are currently working within the community and would like to find out more about the Mental Health and Wellbeing support available, you can email them directly at vickiandrew@north-ayrshire.gov.uk and dionnegriffiths@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
The NHS Every Mind Matters webpage also has a host of helpful videos on self-care and mental health tips for young people, view them here.
Looking after your own mental health
Don’t forget, your mental health and wellbeing is just as important as your physical health.
The Mental Health Foundation website has a range of content designed to give you more information about mental health and to help you to look after your mental health – find out more on the webpage here.
The NHS have shared a useful article 5 steps to mental wellbeing and the BeWell section of the LiveWell page also recognises the wide range of topics that impact on wellbeing including information on mental health and wellbeing and mindfulness.
Help is on hand! Remember, the Council also has a team of Wellbeing Warriors on hand to provide a listening ear, offer support and signpost you to relevant resources available to you. Be kind to yourself and consider getting in touch with your GP who will be able to give you practical advice and help if you are struggling with your mental health.
Finally, why not take some time to check out LiveWell’s helpful round-up of tips here to stay healthy and stress-free this summer.