News - Tackling the Blues

Andy Smith, Arts and Culture, child mental health, COVID-19, Employability, Everton in the Community, General, Lancashire, Liverpool City Region, Mental Health, pandemic, Sport and Physical Activity, Summer Cunningham, Tackling the Blues, Tate Liverpool

Edge Hill student highlights impact of expanding child mental health programme

Three schoolchildren draw pictures in workbooks while a student mentor helps out. — *Tackling the Blues has reached more than 2,500 school pupils to date.*

An Edge Hill student is highlighting the profound impact of award-winning child mental health programme Tackling the Blues as it gets set to expand.

Summer Cunningham, a student mentor for the sport and arts-based mental health education programme, highlighted how her own contribution has made a difference to children’s lives as the programme expands into Greater Manchester.

As schools continue to respond to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of student mentors who support delivery of the programme will increase from 48 last academic year to more than 80 this year; more than 2,500 pupils have been reached to date.

A student wearing a Tackling the Blues t-shirt holds up a drawing. — *Summer Cunningham is a student mentor on the arts branch of Tackling the Blues child mental health programme*.

Summer, a third-year student from Kettering, Northamptonshire, said:

“I remember one of the girls I worked with last year showed a 180 turnaround in self-confidence – she started out incredibly shy and unable to verbalise her answers to questions, to being loud and proud in herself, practically shouting the answers at us. When we had to leave she was so full of gratitude and cried us out the door; that’s when I really reflected and knew that we had made a difference.

“And to be taking part in the programme during the Covid-19 pandemic has really helped me too. I lost a lot of motivation last year so to be doing something useful like this made a huge difference to my own mental health.

“Tackling the Blues has also given me a unique experience to work with respected organisations, promoting mental health and wellbeing directly with children, most from deprived areas, to improve their outcomes. You can visibly see the development of literacy and emotional processing from week to week.”

Tackling the Blues – delivered in partnership between Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool – supports children and young people aged 6-16 who are experiencing, or are at risk of developing, mental illness.

Since its launch in 2015 a significant difference has already been made to many lives, with participating young people across the Liverpool City Region, Lancashire and now Greater Manchester displaying more confidence and less anxiety, with improved literacy and emotional intelligence skills.

Dr Helen O’Keeffe, from the Faculty of Education, and Andy Smith, Professor of Sport and Physical Activity, both lead on the project at Edge Hill.

“The Tackling the Blues project not only makes a vital difference to the children and families we work with who suffer from some of the poorest health and wellbeing in the country, it also makes an important contribution to the student experience, employability, knowledge exchange and research.

“We are delighted that we are in a position to continue to expand this vital work during the current academic year.”

Dr Emma Curd, Tackling the Blues coordinator for Tate Liverpool, vouched for the positive impact the programme also has on student mentors.

“Since meeting Summer in 2019, we have seen her confidence flourish and grow in the classroom. From taking on leadership roles to developing unique and creative activities for young people to engage with, Summer is now an experienced and assured mentor.

“She is particularly skillful in supporting the creation of a safe and creative environment for young people to talk about their feelings and emotions.”

Tackling the Blues is continuing to develop as a result of ongoing funding from the Office for Students, Research England and the Premier League.

Employability, Faculty of Education, Mental Health, Research, Sport and Physical Activity, Student Life, Tackling the Blues

Children and young people’s mental health programme celebrates record year

Edge Hill University’s Tackling the blues mentors at Ormskirk High

The award-winning children’s mental health programme, Tackling the Blues, is celebrating a milestone year after supporting a record number of new children and young people across the North West.

The sport, art and education-based mental health awareness programme, delivered by Edge Hill University in partnership with Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool, has successfully engaged with more than 1,500 children and young people across 20 schools in Merseyside and West Lancashire over the past 12 months.

Founded in 2015, Tackling the Blues is delivered by staff and students from the Department of Sport and Physical Activity and the Faculty of Education at Edge Hill University and is designed to improve the mental health literacy of children and young people aged six to 16 who are experiencing, or at risk of developing, mental illness.

Professor of Sport and Physical Activity, Andy Smith, and Dr Helen O’Keeffe from the Faculty of Education, both lead on the project at Edge Hill.

Prof Smith said: “To have reached a record number of new children and young people, despite the challenges the past year has presented, bears testament to the hard work and dedication of the Tackling the Blues team. Our student mentors and our partner schools have worked tirelessly to ensure that we can continue to empower the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed to improve their mental health literacy.”

Dr O’Keeffe added: “Thanks to the efforts of the Tackling the Blues team, more than 1,500 children and young people have joined us on the journey to break the stigma around mental health. We’re looking forward to the future and will be building on the successes of the last 12 months to reach even more children and young people through our growing range of delivery models.”

Figures for the last academic year also revealed that more than 600 Edge Hill students have engaged directly with the programme through mentoring and mental health training opportunities. More than 500 students received Ambassador of Hope training, delivered by national mental health charity Chasing the Stigma, which focuses on how to talk about mental health and illness, how to effectively find help and signpost using the Hub of Hope resources and what to do in a mental health emergency.

The past year also saw more than 500 students engage with external artists and Everton in the Community staff.

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting a stop to in-person mentoring sessions, Edge Hill’s student mentors launched a series of online bitesize lessons, called BLUES, to help teachers support children and young people’s mental health during lockdown.

Jack Mullineux, Tackling the Blues Lead Coordinator at Everton in the Community (EitC), said: “Tackling the Blues has grown significantly during the last 12 months with the addition of an arts strand, complimenting the current sports strand which has been developed by EitC.

“Throughout the year, the programme continued to support children and young people with an online and in-person approach which was delivered by mentors from Edge Hill. This approach has enabled the programme to expand its reach and support more school groups and children and young people throughout primary and secondary schools in Merseyside and West Lancashire. Due to the expansion of the programme, additional student opportunities will be available in a lead and support mentoring capacity.”

Alison Jones, Programme Manager, Public & Community Learning at Tate Liverpool, said: “It has been wonderful to be able to use art to connect with so many young people over the last year and help them unlock their creativity to improve their mental health literacy. The development of the online sessions during COVID-19 also highlight the importance of being able to access these resources when times get tough and the number of children and young people engaging in the programme is a testament to that.”

The programme received a £527,000 funding award from the Office for Students and Research England in 2020/2021, in recognition of the vital impact it has had on the student experience and the benefits it brings to students, graduates and external partners through involvement in knowledge exchange activities.

Supported by funding from the Office for Students, Research England and the Premier League Charitable Fund, Tackling the Blues uses a student focussed model to provide innovative ways in engaging students in knowledge exchange to improve their knowledge, understanding and experiences of mental health in education and local communities.

If you are interested in finding out more about Tackling the Blues or are a student from the Faculty of Education or the Department of Sport and Physical Activity who is interested in participating as a mentor in the 2021/2022 academic year are encouraged to visit the new Tackling the Blues website to find out more informationor visit @TacklingBlues on Twitter.

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Everton legend Ian Snodin – part of the Toffees’ last title-winning squad in 1987 – bids to boost mental health in schools after coronavirus pandemic

Read the full story on the Daily Mail’s website.

Education, Employability, Faculty of Education, Mental Health, Research, Sport and Physical Activity, Tackling the Blues

Everton legend Snodin goes back to school to ‘Tackle the Blues’

Everton legend Ian Snodin (centre) joins pupils from St. John’s Primary School for a Tackling the Blues session

Everton legend Ian Snodin went back to school this week to support Tackling the Blues, the award-winning project run by Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community (EitC) and Tate Liverpool which uses sport and the arts to help schoolchildren at risk of developing mental health problems.

The 57-year-old was at St. John’s Primary School in Southport, one of a number of schools supported by the project which is being featured as part of this week’s national MadeAtUni campaign highlighting the role universities play in supporting their local communities and their health and wealth recovery from the impact of Covid.

The project so far has reached over 2,000 pupils across the Northwest region, combining classroom well-being mentoring sessions with sport, physical activity and the arts to contribute to the prevention and early intervention of mental health problems in children and young people. Student mentors from Edge Hill University deliver the sessions in schools, helping to support their employability opportunities after graduating.

Throughout this school year, Tackling the Blues has held virtual online sessions with schools in response to growing concerns about pupils’ well-being during lockdown but returned to the classrooms across the region during April.

The programme also responded with delivering one day Tackling the Blues inputs to reach new schools – just in time for the end of term. Snodin, who is an Everton Ambassador took part in special end of term sports day celebration with pupils from the school and staff from Edge Hill and EitC.

Said Snodin of his visit to the project: “I loved it and I’ve missed being able to do this sort of thing. I’ve got grandchildren myself, so I know how difficult it’s been for these children over the last year or so because they’re used to going to school and being with their friends.

“It’s been tough for them being at home during the lockdowns, so for Everton in the Community, Edge Hill University and Tate Liverpool to have come together like this to help them during those times and now be able to get back in the classroom with them is fantastic. From the minute we walked in you could see the smile on their faces.”

Leah, 10, who took part in the session, said: “I really like being part of Tackling the Blues, the mentors are amazing. My favourite part is the PE sessions because I love doing sport even though sometimes, I might not win. Being around a famous ex- Everton footballer was great because I support Everton. Most people in my family support Everton as well so I can’t wait to tell them.

“We do lots of mental health and well-being as well as the sport. It’s really helped build up my confidence, and helped me to talk to new people.”

Emily McCurrie, Partnership Development & Engagement Manager at Edge Hill University, project manages Tackling the Blues said: “It was fantastic to be here and see the project in action with the children and the mentors from the University. To have Ian here to support the day has been brilliant and to see all the hard work that Everton in the Community, the University and Tate Liverpool put in, and the impact it has on the children is great.

“Having the three different partners delivering the project brings a number of benefits in terms of helping the schools to tackle mental health with the children, and it’s brilliant to see it all come together. The children are learning how to deal with their emotions and this, along with helping their mental health literacy, is so important especially with everything that’s happened in the last year.

“There is often a perception that universities exist separately from their communities but projects like Tackling the Blues show that isn’t the case.”

For more information on Tackling the Blues visit their website. To find out more about MadeAtUni visit [email protected].

Health, Mental Health, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Mental Health Awareness Week, Offload, Research, Sport and Physical Activity, Student Life, Tackling the Blues

TV and radio host Roman Kemp gives moving mental health advice to students

Television and radio star Roman Kemp gave a moving account of his own experiences of battling with mental health during a special event hosted by Edge Hill University.

Roman gave a candid first-hand account of his mental health journey and reflected on the devastating loss of his radio producer best friend Joe Lyons to suicide in August last year, an experience which inspired him to pursue his emotional BBC documentary Our Silent Emergency.

The documentary moved millions of viewers to tears across the UK when it aired earlier this year as it explored the mental health and suicide crisis gripping young men across the UK.

Roman said: “I lost my best friend, my brother, my colleague…the happiest person I knew to suicide and it’s the most horrible thing that I’ve ever been through in my life. The realisation that you will never see your friend ever again and that you never understood the hurt that they had in their life is far worse than having a conversation with your friend and annoying them by repeatedly asking whether or not they are OK.

“I set out to make the documentary to show that suicide isn’t something that is a problem for men having a ‘midlife crisis’, unfortunately it’s getting younger and younger. I wanted to figure out for myself what happened to my friend.

“Since the age of 15 years old when I was diagnosed with clinical depression…there’s been moments where I’ve been at the lowest possible point. I have the most privileged life you can imagine, I have nothing seemingly wrong with my life, but I still got to a point where my life was not worth living. I felt like I should not be here anymore, and I felt like I wanted everything to stop.

“Everyone has this idea that celebrities don’t suffer and if the influential people we see on  Instagram are talking about big subjects such as this, it can make a big difference. Anyone with that type of platform, I’d implore them to do the same.”

Roman is now a patron of the mental health charity Joe’s Buddy Line, which was set up in legacy of his friend Joe. The charity aims to provide emotional and mental health support for school children across England and Wales.

He joined a line-up of mental health experts for an open and honest conversation about mental health, including Andy Smith, a Professor of Sport and Physical Activity at Edge Hill.

Prof Smith has been at the forefront of ground-breaking research in sport, education and mental health including the award-winning mental health programme Tackling the Blues delivered in partnership between Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool to promote young people’s mental health in education through sports, physical activity and the arts.

He said: “Over half of all symptoms of mental illness, excluding dementia, are first experienced by the age of 14. So, it’s really important that we begin to tackle mental health and mental illness among children and young people in schools, in our communities, universities and colleges.

“At a simple level, mental health is everyone’s responsibility and if we take that responsibility serious it will benefit not only ourselves but everyone…and hopefully we will find ourselves in a much better position than we do now.”

Prof Smith’s expertise has also been central to the work of the Rugby League Cares Offload programme, which resulted in 78% of men reporting feeling more aware of how to look after their health and wellbeing.

Former offload participant Kev Smith had battled mental health and depression for a number of years. Joining the Rugby League Cares acclaimed men’s mental fitness project allowed him to learn from current and former players the techniques they use to be able to manage his own mental and physical fitness.

Kev said: “The hardest part was taking that first step through the door. After that, you can take your mask off and be who you really are in front of the people in that room. In there you’re not alone, there are other people there who have been through the same problems. As a man, it’s hard having to explain to people what you’re going through and to admit you have a problem. Thanks to the Offload programme I’m now 10 years sober and have got a family of my own with my wife and children. I’ve got something to live for.”

Other panellists included Olivia Izzo, an Edge Hill student mentor on the Tackling the Blues programme who is encouraging children and young people to open up about their mental health through the arts and sport; and sportspeople who have battled with their own mental health.

Chairing the event was Mike Salla, Director of Health and Sport at Everton in the Community, the official charity of Everton Football Club. Mike oversees a broad range of mental health specific projects and is leading on the development of The People’s Place; a purpose-built mental health hub adjacent to Goodison Park.

Edge Hill University’s Wellbeing Team is available to support students with their health and wellbeing needs throughout their time at Edge Hill. Members of staff are encouraged to contact the Wellbeing Support Service, who are available to provide wellbeing support during the pandemic, at [email protected].

Campus Support are always available out of hours to provide help while on campus and can be reached on 01695 584227.

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 (free from any phone) or you can email [email protected]. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Department of Sport and Physical Activity, Education, Employability, Faculty of Education, Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness Week, Sport and Physical Activity, Student Life, Tackling the Blues, University Mental Health Day

Empowering students to become mental health champions

A team of student mentors from Edge Hill University have shared their personal experiences of training to become mental health champions for award-winning programme Tackling the Blues.

The mentors have completed a major programme of training to boost their mental health literacy and enhance their employability skills since joining Tackling the Blues. The programme is a sport and arts-based education programme developed in partnership between Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool.

To date, Tackling the Blues has supported over 400 Edge Hill students to complete Chasing the Stigma’s Ambassador of Hope training. This training focusses on how to talk about mental health and illness, how to effectively find help and signpost using the Hub of Hope and what to do in a mental health emergency.

Additional training sessions have seen mentors become certified Youth Mental Health First Aid Champions, as well as complete social and emotional courses in Psychological First Aid: Supporting Children and Young People, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) early Trauma online learning and Zero Suicide Alliance.

The knowledge and skills gained through mental health training were implemented by Tackling the Blues mentors during University Mental Health Day on 4^th March 2021. The mentors designed and delivered a student peer-to-peer event including a host of creative and interactive workshops addressing current issues in mental health and wellbeing.

From enhancing their delivery of Tackling the Blues programme to children and young people across the North West, to boosting their employability, skills and confidence, the mentors reflect on how the training has helped them.

Christopher Siu, 20, a Sports Coaching & Development student, said: “The Tackling the Blues training programme has definitely opened up new insights on mental health and improved my literacy around the subject. I believe I am now more confident in presenting myself and the skills I have acquired to potential employers. The training I’ve received influenced the way I delivered my part during the University Mental Health Day event because, at the time, I was very nervous and afraid of speaking about my personal experience with mental health and not knowing if I was using the correct terminology. However, since undergoing the training, I was able to efficiently deliver my part with confidence.”

Elise Rendell, 22, an MSc student in Sport, Physical Activity & Mental Health, said: “Having seen a few of my friends struggle with their mental health and having struggled living on my own while at university, I’ve wanted to help people through that difficult time. After I started my Masters at Edge Hill, I was given the option to apply for Tackling the Blues and I saw it as a fantastic opportunity to try and help younger children to be more aware of their feelings and their mental health. I feel that the Tackling the Blues accredited training has given a massive boost for my employability as it’s given me exposure to working with children and young people, as well as having the experience of planning and delivering the sessions myself.”

Molly Harrison, 21, an MSc student in Sport, Physical Activity & Mental Health, said: “During the University Mental Health Day event, we focused on teaching the students a range of coping mechanisms to help them deal with their mental health and the wellbeing of others while at university. We also wanted to raise awareness of mental health in general and some of the misconceptions around it. We were able to pass on the learnings from our own training to the students to help boost their mental literacy. Personally, the training has improved my skills as a Tackling the Blues mentor, and I enjoy being able to help other people open up about how they’re feeling and empowering them with the tools to understand and articulate it.”

Taigh Wilson, 21, a Sports Management & Coaching student, said: “The amount of training we have received has really developed my knowledge of mental health. It’s taught me how to talk about the issue appropriately and help others to understand the importance of emotional literacy. On a personal level, my presentation and communication skills have improved a lot through the programme, and I’ve noticed a big boost in my confidence levels too. Tackling the Blues has opened my eyes to pursuing a career in community sport, which I wouldn’t have realised if it wasn’t for the experiences that I’ve had access to through the programme.”

Charlotte Hall, 20, a Sports and Exercise Science student, said: “The training helped to inform my approach and delivery of my role as a Tackling the Blues mentor at a special educational needs (SEN) school. We have received certificates for all of the training courses completed and it‘s allowed us to develop a lot of transferable skills. I feel that the training has enhanced all of the mentors’ skillsets, especially for those wanting to pursue a career in mental health or working with children.”

Students from the Faculty of Education or the Department of Sport and Physical Activity who are interested in finding out more about Tackling the Blues and how they can get involved in the 2021/2022 academic year are encouraged to visit the new Tackling the Blues website to find out more information.

Campus Developments, General, Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness Week, Offload, Student Life, Tackling the Blues

Edge Hill marks Mental Health Awareness Week

To mark this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, 10^th-16^th May, we’re placing a spotlight on the milestones and achievements marked by the Edge Hill community in the field of mental health over the past 12 months.

From hosting unique and engaging events, to conducting leading research and delivering mental health training to the next generation, the University is continually innovating to raise awareness and increase knowledge at a time when mental health has never been more important.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

The University hosted its flagship mental health event on Monday 10^th May with a special online event starring TV and radio star Roman Kemp, who gave a first-hand account of his emotional BBC documentary Our Silent Emergency, which explores the mental health and suicide crisis gripping young men across the UK.

Roman joined a line-up of experts for an open and honest conversation about mental health.

Rugby League Carers’ Offload programme

Researchers at Edge Hill University published the first study of its kind into the benefits of Rugby League Cares’s Offload programme and concluded it is saving lives and providing those involved in the game a safe space for men to discuss mental health.

The research was conducted by Professor Andy Smith, Dr David Haycock and Rachel Wilcock has been published in the international journal, Mental Health and Physical Activity, and is currently free to access online.

Tackling the Blues launches bitesize programme

Tackling the Blues, an award-winning sport and arts-based education programme, launched a series of online bitesize lessons to help teachers support children and young people’s mental health during lockdown.

Developed in partnership by Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool, the five-week programme BLUES responded to the pupil mental health and wellbeing concerns faced by schools in the partnership.

Mentor wants mental health to take centre stage in schools

A performer who is training as a psychotherapist at Edge Hill is using her creative talents to encourage children and young people to open up about their mental health through the arts.

Olivia Izzo, 26, is studying an MSc in Psychotherapy and Counselling at Edge Hill following a career as a performer and actor. Since joining the University, Olivia has been appointed as a mentor for Tackling the Blues, Edge Hill’s mental health literacy programme for schools in partnership with Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool.

Tackling the Blues is a sport, physical activity, arts and education-based mental health literacy programme supporting children and young people aged 6 to 16 years who are experiencing, or at risk of developing, mental illness.

Study reveals the benefits of sleep and physical activity on mental health

Researchers at Edge Hill University have investigated how sleep and physical activity could influence the mental health of children and young people living in Lancashire.

Dr Richard Tyler and Professor Stuart Fairclough have completed a new study on how daily activity behaviours such as physical activity, sleep, and being sedentary relate to children’s mental health and wellbeing. The study was recently published in the Journal of Sports Sciences.

Trailblazing programme supports mental health in schools and colleges

In March 2020, students attended a launch event for the new Education Mental Health Practitioner PGDip course. Edge Hill University is trailblazing a new programme to train people for new roles to support mental health in schools and colleges.

The Education Mental Health Practitioner PGDip course will see students work across education and healthcare settings to provide early intervention mental health support for children and young people in schools and colleges. These new roles will support the Government’s priority of increasing access to mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people with a focus on early intervention.

Campus Support are always available out of hours to provide help while on campus and can be reached on 01695 584227.

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 (free from any phone) or you can email [email protected]. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Campus Developments, Event, Mental Health, mental health awareness, Sport and Physical Activity, Student Life, Tackling the Blues

TV and radio star Roman Kemp to front Edge Hill mental health event

Television and radio presenter Roman Kemp will pay a virtual visit to Edge Hill next month to give a first-hand account of his emotional BBC documentary Our Silent Emergency, which explores the mental health and suicide crisis gripping young men across the UK.

The recent airing of his documentary moved viewers to tears when Roman reflected on his own mental health journey and the devastating loss of his radio producer best friend Joe Lyons to suicide in August last year.

During a special Edge Hill event to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Roman will join a line-up of Edge Hill experts for an open and honest conversation about mental health.

The free event Stepping Up the Fight for Mental Health will take place on Monday 10^th May 5pm-6pm and tickets can be booked online.

Joining Roman on the panel will be Andy Smith, a Professor of Sport and Physical Activity at Edge Hill, who has been at the forefront of ground-breaking research in sport, education and mental health. Prof Smith’s work has helped to inform community and professional sport and health organisations across the country, including influencing the UK Select Committee’s Suicide Prevention report.

He will spotlight recent interventions he and other Edge Hill colleagues have worked on, including Rugby League Cares Offload programme, which resulted in 78% of men reporting feeling more aware of how to look after their health and wellbeing, and award-winning mental health programme Tackling the Blues delivered in partnership between Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool to promote young people’s mental health in education through sports, physical activity and the arts.

Other panellists include Olivia Izzo, an Edge Hill student mentor on the Tackling the Blues programme who is encouraging children and young people to open up about their mental health through the arts and sport; and an Offload participant.

Chairing the event will be Mike Salla, Director of Health and Sport at Everton in the Community, the official charity of Everton Football Club. Mike oversees a broad range of mental health specific projects and is leading on the development of The People’s Place; a purpose-built mental health hub adjacent to Goodison Park.

Campus Support are always available out of hours to provide help while on campus and can be reached on 01695 584227.

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 (free from any phone) or you can email [email protected]. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Department of Sport and Physical Activity, Everton in the Community, Faculty of Education, Health, Mental Health, Sport and Physical Activity, Tackling the Blues, Tate Liverpool

Tackling the Blues launches new bitesize mental health programme

Tackling the Blues, an award-winning sport and arts-based education programme, has launched a series of online bitesize lessons to help teachers support children and young people’s mental health during lockdown.

Developed in partnership by Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool, the new five-week programme BLUES has responded to the pupil mental health and wellbeing concerns faced by schools in the partnership.

BLUES stands for:

Boosting your mood
Loneliness
Uncertaintyand dealing with it
Emotions: anxiety and frustration
Self-care and checking in

The programme is underpinned by the New Economics Foundation’s Five Ways to Wellbeing, with Edge Hill University students designing the programme in their roles as Tackling the Blues student mentors. The 48 student mentors have developed content to help schools across Merseyside and West Lancashire with the aim to connect to whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing.

Professor of Sport and Physical Activity, Andy Smith, and Dr Helen O’Keeffe, from the Faculty of Education, both lead on the project at Edge Hill. They said: “This past year has been an incredibly testing time for teachers and pupils across the country. That’s why it’s more important than ever that teachers are empowered with the tools to support better mental health and wellbeing for their pupils.

“We can’t wait to return to delivering the programme in person and are aiming to be in a position, restrictions permitting, to deliver the full Tackling the Blues programme following the Easter break.”

Lathom Park Primary School in Ormskirk is one of the schools enrolled on the BLUES programme. Teacher Evan Fraser said the programme has “provided an insight into how important it is to focus on emotional literacy”, and for their pupils to understand their own mental health and wellbeing.

Michael Salla, Director of Health and Sport at Everton in the Community said: “Our Tackling the Blues programme has continued to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing landscape since its launch in 2015 and in particular the last 12-months. The introduction of the online BLUES Bitesize programme is the latest addition to the programme and something that will also be utilised to meet the mental health and wellbeing of needs of children nationally and internationally.

Supported by funding from the Office for Students, Research England and the Premier League Charitable Fund, Tackling the Blues uses a student focussed model to provide innovate ways in engaging students in knowledge exchange to improve their knowledge, understanding and experiences of mental health in education in local communities.

Dr Deborah Riding, Programme Manager, Children & Young People at Tate Liverpool said: “Being able to deliver this activity online to schools during lockdown, using arts and sport to help get positive mental health messages out to young people, has been a significant achievement.

“The online sessions the partners have developed together has helped give schools flexibility at a time when they needed it and is beneficial to them and the pupils as an on-going resource. It has also provided a great opportunity for the student mentors to develop their digital skills which will be a huge asset to them when seeking employment.”

For more information about Tackling the Blues, visit its dedicated Twitter page @TacklingBlues.

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Performer turned mentor wants mental health to take centre stage in schools

A performer who is training as a psychotherapist at Edge Hill is using her creative talents to encourage children and young people to open up about their mental health through the arts.

Olivia Izzo, 26, is currently studying an MSc in Psychotherapy and Counselling at Edge Hill following a career as a performer and actor. Since joining the University, Olivia has been appointed as a mentor for Tackling the Blues, Edge Hill’s mental health literacy programme for schools in partnership with Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool.

As a mentor, Olivia is hoping to use her creative flair to help children and young people to express their feelings through the arts.

Olivia, who is originally from South East London, said:

“When I was younger, mental health was not a conversation in schools. As a result, we are finding more and more children who are reaching adolescence and are experiencing major mental health crises, because they are struggling and don’t know how to communicate their feelings.”

According to the Children’s Society, 10% of children and young people aged 5 to 16 have a clinically diagnosable mental health problem, yet 70 per cent of children and adolescents who experience problems with their mental health have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently young age.

Alongside its existing sports and physical activity programmes, Tackling the Blues recently welcomed Tate Liverpool to the partnership to establish a new arts strand to encourage young people to use art as a tool to explore, understand and increase their mental health literacy.

Olivia said:

“Art therapy can help at any age but if we specifically focus on children and young people then it’s a really useful approach. For a child, being able to draw and create with me beside them provides them with so much more freedom. Depending on the age, some children don’t have the language to explain how they’re feeling or tell me they are worried, but they might be able to draw a picture which resembles how they are feeling. Combining what they enjoy doing with something that might feel a bit uncomfortable is a really powerful approach.”

Having enjoyed a career on stage, Olivia explains how her desire to help others with their mental health stems from seeing others struggle to express their emotions and suffer as a consequence. She said:

“I’m fortunate that I’ve always been a very expressive person and open with my emotions and I know how this isn’t the case for everyone.
“Programmes like Tackling the Blues are so important to kick-start the conversation about mental health at an early age. The programme helps children to not just talk about it but allows them to recognise what their feelings are and process them.
“Now more than ever, it’s vital that we are setting the right example to children and young people by empowering them to have the tools in place to recognise and understand their emotions and know that it’s a sign of strength to talk about their feelings.”

Since its launch in 2015, Tackling the Blues has engaged over 1,000 young people across Merseyside and West Lancashire.

In 2020, the programme received a £527,000 funding award from the Office for Students and Research England in recognition of the vital impact it has on the student experience. The programme received the award for demonstrating the benefits it brings to students, graduate and external partners through involvement in knowledge exchange activities.

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