The Mental Health Foundation’s ‘World Mental Health Day’ always falls on 10th October and first started back in 1992, making it 31 years old! You might recognise their green ribbon as a symbol of mental health. The theme this year is ‘Mental Health is a Human Right’.
World Mental Health Day (WMHD) 2023 is an opportunity to talk and open-up with others about the topic of Mental Health. Talking about our problems with someone we trust (they could be a friend, teacher, colleague or family member) can really help. For some people, finding support in those close to them can be the first step to feeling better.
Opening up can be tricky, especially for children who may not have the words to explain. MindMate have a page to support on this. Or, on the WMHD website, you can download a ‘Tea & Talk’ resource pack to host a get together, with baked good and donations as a happy bonus.
If hosting some form of a ‘Tea & Talk’ in October isn’t possible, you can plan ahead for ‘Time to Talk’ day coming up on 1st February 2024. Their webpage is full of ideas to get young people talking about Mental Health, which is a great read for parents/carers and schools. There are also separate advice pages for community groups or sport groups who want to make talking about mental health a priority.
