Milestone For Schools’ Mental Health Programme

STAFF from 10 schools across South Wales have received training to help children develop mental and emotional wellbeing thanks to a partnership between two foundations.

Funding from the Edenstone Foundation has enabled the Proton Foundation to deliver its Flourish Project, which is designed to improve mental and emotional wellbeing, self-esteem and resilience.

Chris Edge, from the Edenstone Foundation, said: “There’s been an increase in mental ill-health in young people since the pandemic, which means schemes like the Flourish Project are vitally important.

“In the last six months, we’ve reached the milestone of supporting 10 schools under our partnership with the Proton Foundation and its Flourish Project. We’ve agreed a two-year partnership with the charity and are keen to work together to help even more schools, particularly in the communities we’re building in. Through our ongoing links with the Flourish Project we can potentially help equip hundreds of young people with lifelong skills to improve their mental wellbeing and self-esteem.”

The Flourish Programme is targeted at nine to 16-year-olds and usually runs over eight one-hour sessions covering how beliefs are formed, how they can affect and shape us; the effects of social media on mental health, and encouraging young people to develop healthy online habits; learning how to develop healthy self-talk and begin to put it into practice; understanding the importance of setting goals and the positive effect it has on our mindsets.

The latest schools to sign up to the programme under the partnership between the Edenstone Foundation and Proton Foundation are Hengoed Primary School in Caerphilly, plus St Michael’s and St Patrick’s RC primary schools in Newport.

Staff from Archbishop Rowan Williams Church in Wales VA Primary School in Caldicot; Nant-y-Parc Primary School in Caerphilly; Allway Primary School, Ponthir Church in Wales School and Tredegar Park Primary School in Newport and Libanus Primary School and Blackwood Primary School in Blackwood have previously received training under the partnership.

Flourish project manager Phil Mann said: “Partnering with the Edenstone Foundation has enabled us to make huge inroads to supporting the emotional wellbeing of young people across South Wales. We’ve had some fantastic feedback from schools who’ve already taken part in the training and delivered sessions to children leading to improvements in mental wellbeing, self-esteem and happiness. We’d love to hear from other schools who want to know more about the training sessions and resources available through the partnership.”

The Edenstone Foundation funding for the project is fuelled by the success of the Edenstone Group’s two housing brands – Edenstone Homes and Bluebell Homes. It receives a proportion of the proceeds from every home the Groups sells to support good causes.

For more information about the Edenstone Foundation see http://edenstonefoundation.com. To find about more the Flourish Project see https://protonfoundation.com/flourish-project.