ADULTS – our ‘Just What We Need courses

The course is based on sound human givens principles, and uses fun activities and exercises to develop attendees’ personal capacity, self-awareness, self-esteem and encourages them to take personal responsibility for fulfilling their potential 

“Children and young people’s mental health and well being correlates with a range of family related factors, most significantly parent – child relationships and parental mental health. One out of five children and young people in the UK today experience mental health and behavioural difficulties.” (THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, 2006) Apply the oxygen mask to yourself before assisting your child.” 

YOUNG PEOPLE – We design and facilitate wellbeing sessions.

Our mental health work has included:

•    The use of Drama to explore emotions / situations / inference / characters / solutions
•    Workshops – stress / challenging negative thoughts / feelings / positive wellbeing / exam stress
•    Mindfulness sessions
•    The use of Creative arts
•    Sessions in green spaces – field, park, forest areas

CHILDREN – We provide specialist story-drama programmes for children aged 3-11 years (nursery, reception, years 1 – 6), within educational and community settings.   The programmes are designed to support the National

Curriculum and are led by qualified teachers, Mindfulness and wellbeing practitioners.

Each session has an element of wellbeing, with activities to help focus young minds and develop powers of concentration and imagination.  Throughout, the children will be presented with moral, social and emotional dilemmas as they take on the role of different characters, developing essential life skills through creative expression.

Senses will be stimulated and resources will come alive, as children are taken on a magical adventure of self discovery with our wise and friendly wizard, Mr Wizzle!

What we offer schools

• Developmental programmes for primary (between 3-6 sessions; each lasting 45-60 minutes) set in different environments, e.g. the jungle, under the sea, enchanted forest; with different characters for the children to identify with, both physically and cognitively.
• The use of Drama to explore emotions / situations / inference / characters / solution
• Workshops – stress / challenging negative thoughts / feelings / positive wellbeing / exam stress
• Mindfulness sessions
• Individual bespoke sessions, focusing on particular issues/ targets.
• Can facilitate small focus groups or whole classes of children / young people.

Sessions include…

• Exciting, lively and interactive stories and activities, e.g. drama, singing and dancing.
• Personally written and illustrated stories to enjoy.
• Creative and colourful resources to stimulate imagination.
• Opportunities to take on the role of a character in the story, to explore social interactions and the consequences of these within a non-judgemental environment.
• Guided relaxation and a recognition of wellbeing, in line with the Government’s ‘Wellbeing Agenda’.
• Opportunities to meet all three learning styles – Visual, Kinaesthetic and Auditory.
• Supportive, follow up teaching materials (additional).

Outcomes/Benefits

• Meets the 3 prime areas of the Early Years Curriculum, with a focus on personal, social, cultural and emotional development and supports the National Curriculum.
• Equality of opportunity where every child is engaged in learning and can achieve; regardless of their ability, background and/or needs.
• To ignite children’s interest in language and story as building blocks for purposeful writing.
• Enhancing the children’s sense of self, social values and understanding of others around them.
• Will serve to raise self esteem, lower inhibitions and provide a creative outlet for children.
• Improves relationships between peers, through establishing empathy and a sense of teamwork.
• A fun learning experience!

Advantages

• Facilitators are qualified teachers (B.Ed Hons & CRB), trained in ‘stories that heal’ Mindfulness Now and relaxation techniques.
• Can be used to cover planned teacher absences, with programme sessions and follow up activities.
• Additional follow up resources for each programme are available for teachers to consolidate learning.
• Can write tailor made sessions/ programmes to meet needs of a school / organisation.