Education centre encourages young people to bond through fun-filled activities

Young people who receive care for their mental health at one of Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s (EPUT) education centres have been finding opportunities to bond with their peers.

Staff at The St Aubyn Centre’s Therapeutic Education Department, which is based within the St Aubyn Centre Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit in Colchester, have been organising events to bring young people together across the unit.

The Centre has two wards, Larkwood and Longview ward.

Following last week’s Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, staff have organised a range of events and activities to encourage the young people to mix and build good relationships.

The young people enjoyed a games night and produced art around the Children’s Mental Health Awareness week’s theme, which was My Voice Matters.

A gratitude book for the ward has also been produced, in which they aim to write something they are grateful for each week. They have also explored opportunities to get to know each a little better through games.

Sean Tricker, activities coordinator on Larkwood Ward at the St Aubyn Centre, said: “We have had a great time at the centre introducing and encouraging our young people to get to know each other better.

“We have been getting a little competitive with some record setting challenges such as how many tennis balls can you hold in one hand and how fast can you build a pyramid with six cups. It’s been really fun and everyone has had a great time.

“We have also shared some messages of positivity with young people being cared for at Poplar Ward, EPUT’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit in Rochford. Young people at Larkwood ward and Longview ward decided to develop some positivity postcards to send to Poplar and upon receiving these, the young people there sent us some lovely designs.”