Like millions of people across the globe, we will be giving particular thought to how we can contribute positively to the conversation around mental health this World Mental Health Day, Thursday 10th October.
Mental health is just like our physical health: everybody has it, and everybody needs to take care of it. And sometimes, all it takes to make a real difference to it is the smallest step forward. And usually that starts with a conversation.
We want to be part of that conversation. So we were delighted when Ysgol Friars in Bangor, North Wales, got in touch to ask us to spend this World Mental Health Day with them. We first met Ysgol Friars when they came to take part in our Women in Sport conference last June.
The school is running a mental health well-being fair to promote and support better physical & mental health for everyone. So we will be spending the day with students and teachers, listening to their experiences and exchanging ideas about how we can all work together to support each other better.
We’ll be listening carefully to what they tell us. School can be a highly stressful environment, and how our young people learn to deal with that stress and anxiety whilst still at school can have life-long implications for their mental – and physical – wellbeing.
Regular exercise can really help to mitigate stress and turn it into something positive. Being active can also help to improve memory, encourage better sleep and boost overall mood. There is plenty of evidence to show that it can have a transformational impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more.
We hope that we can help more young people to use exercise as a positive tool to support their mental health and wellbeing today, tomorrow, and in the long term.
To find out more about how we work with schools, clubs and youth groups please head to our schools page here. You can drop our schools coordinator Natasha a line on n.evans@adventureparcsnowdonia.com.