Mindstrong young minds high school Workshop details:
- Length of presentation: 45-60 minutes
- The workshop will include an interactive presentation led by the doctors and residents of the Jewish General Hospital Psychiatry Department
- The focus of the presentation is mental health education and sensitization.
This will include:
- Teaching students how to evaluate their own mental health and recognize the signs of mental illness
- Raising awareness to help break the stigma associated with mental illness
- Providing information on resources for students and families in need
- An interactive discussion with the medical staff and the students
- A personal story from a guest speaker (TBD) regarding his/her experience with mental illness
Suggested pre and post Mindstrong Young Minds Activities:
- Identify Ambassadors/student committee to promote awareness activities and engage with ambassadors from other schools
- Positive Post-its: Supply students with Post-It Notes and encourage them to leave personal messages of positivity and encouragement on their peers’ lockers
- Play inspirational songs to at lunch time (suggestions: The Middle by Jimmy Eats World, Beautiful Day by U2, Confident by Demi Lovato, Perfect by Pink, Survivor by Destiny’s Child, I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly)
- Gratitude Grafitti: Place large sheets of paper on the walls of school. Provide students with markers to write positive motivational messages
- High-five Hallways: Encourage students to high five their peers as they walk down the halls or enter school
- Yoga/mindfulness activities
- Create a Facebook page to post messages of encouragement, resiliency and support
- Have students create posters providing statistics, facts, definitions, myths, and misconceptions about mental illnesses. Include strategies on how everyone can take care of their mental health.
- Invite parents to your school for an information night
Fundraising ideas:
- Fundraising lunch
- Student-teacher basketball game
- Dress down day