During the month of April 2019, Tesco customers across Merton voted for a good cause by placing a blue token in a slot each time they went shopping. We were delighted to learn that we came second out of three choices, which means that we will receive £2,000 to go towards producing a booklet for teenagers in local schools.
1 in 10 young people will present with a mental health issue that affects their development and research indicates that early invention provides effective and long-lasting change.
This project aims to reach 13/14-year olds in Merton through their secondary school and provide them with a 20 page A5 booklet detailing how they can ask for help with mental health concerns they have about themselves or their friends.
The most commonly occurring mental health issues in young people are anxiety and depression, self-harm, eating disorders and addiction, the booklet will contain information on the early signs of these issues and will highlight a directory of helplines for teenagers to seek support.
This project will not only benefit the teenagers themselves but also their parents, carers and teachers; because it will highlight the importance of discussing mental health issues alongside physical health with loved ones.
stem4 has built strong partnerships with Merton secondary schools over the last 6 years. We will utilise these links to distribute the booklets and include a cover letter, requesting that the booklets are handed out to year 9 students.
This project will include a visit to secondary schools in Merton by our Education Coordinator who will lead an assembly, bringing the students’ attention to the information that they will be given to take home.
