The Serious Chat - Mental Health (KS3-5)
60-minute high quality, detailed & flexible workshops or assemblies.
Performed to students in small or large groups.
May suit carousel days or one-off visits. Available throughout the year.
How do the sessions run?
Our workshops are performed by 3 professional actors.
We start by breaking down what we are covering in the sessions: we explore the definitions, clarify facts and any laws surrounding the topic, and invite the students to answer questions and get involved.
The students are then shown scenes with characters in everyday, relatable situations.
We use elements of Augusto Boal's 'Forum Theatre: following scenes which see young characters with conflicting objectives, we freeze the action and split the audience into groups; the students are invited to advise the characters about what to do next. This is designed to allow students to articulate opinions and feelings in a safe, objective environment.
Included with the workshop
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Teachers further work pack
What We Cover
Mental Health Myths, Serious of Mental Health Conditions & Building Resilience.
Our workshop explores issues included in the PSHE Suggested Programme of Study (Core Theme 1 - Health & Wellbeing).
We take a focused look at myths & facts including discrimination; physical health vs. mental health; Mental Health Conditions vs. Everyday mental health; symptoms & treatment of some conditions including Anxiety/Depression, OCD & eating disorders.
The students are invited to offer advice to a series of characters, one is self-harming and the friend who knows about the self-harming and would like to disclose to a trusted adult. Another is struggling with low self-esteem & feeling anxious about an assignment - students are encouraged to offer positive advice about how they can overcome negative feelings. There is a focus on resilience & finding pro-active ways to improve mental health.
We conclude by outlining help and resources available.
We're more than happy to tailor the workshop upon request to focus on any issues you feel are particularly relevant to your students.
Why is it so important to discuss mental health with young people?
We all have mental health in the same way we have physical health, but sometimes it is not an easy subject to talk about with young people. And with 1 in 4 people in the UK suffering from a mental health condition in their lifetime, it is something we must talk about.
Statistics show than 1 in 4 adults will suffer from a mental health condition in their lifetime, 1 in 8 young people; and 50% of mental health conditions are established by 14 years old.
A YouGov/MQ and Forster survey in 2016 showed that 51% of young people would be embarrassed to talk about mental health.
Young Minds, PAPYRUS, Childline & NSPCC have all said 'more open and frank conversations should be encouraged with children.
UpFront Theatre Company's Mental Health Workshop is frank, factual and open and gets the conversation started about Mental Health.