TEENS TAKE PART IN POSITIVE STEPS 5K
WICKLOW Youth Mental Health Initiative held it’s ‘Positive Steps’ walk on a beautiful Friday morning with 263 young people taking part.
The participants hailed from Wicklow Youthreach, Colaiste Chill Mhantain, East Glendalough School and the Dominican College Wicklow. Everyone taking part in the 5km walk received a ‘gr8 2 b yng’ T-shirt before the walk and breakfast rolls and water when they finished.
The walk is part of the Wicklow Youth Mental Health Initiative ‘gr8 2 b yng’. This is the ninth year the initiative has been running. The aim is to open the discussion with young people about their mental health, by delivering a half day of positive mental health workshops to Transition Year and Youthreach students in October each year.
The workshops took place in the De La Salle Parish Centre. During the morning, the young people took part in a wellness workshop which is aimed at helping people understand and take charge of their own mental health. This was followed by lunch, and the day was finished off with a light hearted drumming workshop.
The programme was delivered by Suicide or Survive, an Irish charity focussed on breaking down the stigma associated with mental health issues.
The committee is made up of workers from local agencies and projects, and have all one thing in common; they all work with young people at some level. These workers are from the WAY Project, School Completion Programme, ISPCC, Wicklow Child and Family Project, KWETB, HSE and Wicklow Travellers Group.
The initiative was supported this year by funding from the Wicklow Children and Young People Services Committee, Wicklow Rotary Club, County Wicklow Partnership, Wicklow County Council and Wicklow Mental Health Association.