We encourage and value the art of conversation at Clifton High School, utilising our extensive Health and Wellbeing programme to build positive connections between our community members. Simply by talking about ‘Mental Health’ we can help normalise it, so no one individual is afraid to ask for support, show or communicate how they are feeling.
On Thursday 1st February 2024, we will actively acknowledge Time to Talk Day; a national campaign that aims to rethink mental illness to encourage how we engage in conversations about mental health within communities. Organised by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, the focus is on the power of talking and listening in order to change lives. It may be one date in the annual diary, yet the symbolism of the campaign is far reaching – a vision that we can work on together, one day at a time, taking small steps to reach the point where there is no stigma surrounding mental health. In essence, the goal of uniting for Time to Talk Day is to empower us all to use humankind empathy and understanding that reaching out with a simple “Hello! How are you?” can change a day, a week, a month, a year - a life.
Clifton High School’s in-house Wellbeing Hub is a space that accommodates an experienced and understanding body of highly qualified professionals, including an accredited BACP Counsellor. They are on-hand to offer our children and staff members alike the trust to talk, seek advice or guidance on a wide range of issues that may include bereavement, family relationships, anxiety, panic attacks, stress, depression, sexuality, self-esteem, eating disorders as well as the impact of social media and Covid-19.
Under the confidential guidance of our empathetic staff members, everyone is recognised with a personalised, open-minded and open-door approach.
More information on our counselling services can be found here.
Time to Talk Day spans every generation with one in four of us experiencing a mental health problem in any given year. As a School, we may focus more on our pupils, yet we encourage them to reach out to other friends and family members so the ripple effect of positive engagement and communication can reach beyond our School gates. Whether that be to parents, grandparents, neighbours, teachers there is significance in the impact of talking and listening to reconnect and establish social, life changing, links within the wider community network.
What can I do to help?
By simply taking time to text a friend or delving deeper into a response of “It is all good”, “not too bad”, “I’m fine” (which are often indicators that it may not be the case), might be all it takes to help.
Recent research confirms the importance of open conversations, and we urge you to reflect upon the quote -
Words can light fires in the minds of men
The Time to Talk website linked here offers a range of ideas to take a more active part in the day and highlights the below Talking Tips as well as this resource pack that contains a host of materials to help start mental health conversations.
