Volunteers wanted to help tackle mental health with activity

Wednesday 06 February 2019

Volunteers are being sought by The Bright Idea - a local group which puts on a number of different activities and events to help young people overcome mental health challenges.

They view activity as the key to better mental health, or tackling more permanent problems, and put a focus on that rather than more traditional methods of dealing with any problems.

Tonight, if people are interested in helping the cause, The Bright Idea is hosting an event at Beau Sejour from 19:00 where people can get more information on getting involved in the project. You can email nharper@web.grammar.sch.gg to ask for more information about that meeting.

Nicola Harper, the Grammar School's Assistant Headteacher, and Helen Banks, the school's mental health coordinator, have been organising the initiative. 

Miss Harper said they had already seen good levels of success so needed new volunteers so they could help more people - those volunteers should be caring, and could offer an hour a week for as long as they could.

"We are looking for volunteers to help support young people with their mental health, and we are looking at working on that through activity - not just sport but any activities," Miss Harper said.

"Our aim is to help [them] overcome these barriers, or at least some of them, by increasing their general activity levels, eating healthier and sleeping better, resulting in living a healthier lifestyle both physically and mentally."

The activities currently offered are already extremely varied, from sea swimming to boxing to listening and walking. Parents at the Grammar school are also already on board.

The Bright Idea are also hoping to raise money this year to pay for fees on more activities - this could include hiring out a sports hall or paying for kit.