The Health and Education for Life Project (HELP)
The Health and Education for Life Project (HELP) was set up in 2003 and is a Liverpool based action research project that works in schools to change young people's attitudes and behaviours (or coping strategies) about mental health issues.
HELP began life as a partnership project between the Healthy Schools Programme nationally (For more information on the Healthy Schools Programme, go to www.lifebytes.gov.uk or www.mindbodysoul.gov.uk and NIMHE, (National Institute for Mental Health in England, www.nimhe.org.uk) which supports positive change in mental health for people of all ages.
HELP is also endorsed and supported by the Liverpool Capital of Culture initiative.
Background
Since it began in 2003, the HELP project has worked with over 5,500 young people in some 26 Liverpool schools to develop new approaches to mental health promotion and research. The focus throughout has been to include and involve young people, their teachers, families and others who come into contact with them.
The project works to identify issues important to young
people from their own perspective and that of key
stakeholders in their lives (teachers, parents, school
communities and wider systems such as local education
and health authorities).
HELP promotes better strategies for young people in coping, understanding and dealing with mental health issues.
The project also works to about understand differences in different people, how they relate to each other and impact on each other.
The action research element of the project is about learning about young people and their mental health and what works in de-stigmatising mental health issues at different levels in classes, schools, wider communities, education authorities and 'whole systems'.
The HELP project believes that these key players in young people's lives also need to look at their own attitudes and behaviour towards mental health and how their own attitudes and behaviours might impact on young people. If necessary, they may need to take steps to improve and develop attitudes towards mental health as the Help parent's project is now doing.
HELP promotes better strategies for young people in coping, understanding and dealing with mental health issues.
The project also works to about understand differences in different people, how they relate to each other and impact on each other.
The action research element of the project is about learning about young people and their mental health and what works in de-stigmatising mental health issues at different levels in classes, schools, wider communities, education authorities and 'whole systems'.
Key HELP aims
- identify changes in attitudes young people might have towards themselves or others over fixed period of time
- scope level of knowledge and understanding that young people have concerning emotional distress and if this differs over time
- identify a range of coping skills that young people may have when dealing with emotional distress for themselves and when helping others
- identify any changes in behaviour, which may take place over, time when considering young people's relationship and their communications skills ( emotional literacy)
- support multi- agency working particularly in health and education when providing support for young people experiencing mental health difficulties; and
- inform and influence curriculum development in the education of younger people.
Young people and their environment
Young people exist in an environment made up of other people, influences and systems that impact on them and over which they have little control. Their lives are lived with and influenced by the attitudes and behaviours of teachers, peer groups, school environment, parents and families and local communities, as well as wider systems such as education, health and social infrastructures.The HELP project believes that these key players in young people's lives also need to look at their own attitudes and behaviour towards mental health and how their own attitudes and behaviours might impact on young people. If necessary, they may need to take steps to improve and develop attitudes towards mental health as the Help parent's project is now doing.
Definitions
Action researchAction research differs from more traditional forms of research where researchers have a preconceived idea of what results they are looking for or expect to find.
Instead, action research takes a developmental approach to research building on what is learned in the early stages of the project and feeding it back into the next stage. For example, in year one of the projects, Help researchers and young people made a DVD of young people’s thoughts and feelings about mental health issues. This DVD was then used in year two to inform and develop the second stage of the project.
In an action research project the developing evidence base is always localised, because findings depend on each individual environment and the individuals within it. In this case, the evidence base is each participating school.
In summary, an action research project will change from stage to stage; it is a continuously developing and emerging process.
Whole systems
There are wider or 'whole' systems that impact on the lives of young people an over which they have little control and of which they may have little knowledge. These include health and education systems, school environments and the wider communities they live in. These systems need to learn how to communicate and connect with each other better so as to support young people better.
Help successes
Changes in attitude and behaviour
The Help project resulted in changes in young people's attitudes towards mental health and in how they felt they would behave if they or a friend or someone in their family was experiencing mental health problems.In particular, there was a greater awareness among young people by year two of the project that bullying causes mental distress. For more concrete examples of changes in attitude see results of the Help National Survey which analyses and compares Help phase one and two results.
Mental health to become part of the PSHE curriculum
The shift in young people's attitudes and behaviours towards mental health as a result of the Help project is such that Liverpool local education authority (LEA) is now configuring mental health into its strategies for curriculum (PSHE) support and in its training of teachers who deliver this part of the curriculum to young people.The LEA's commitment to the project is such that it is part funding phase three of the project which will find ways of sustaining Help's work in years to come and provide an ‘exit strategy' for participating schools to continue its work once the project itself is complete.
Liverpool school inspectors have said they are pleased to see the LEA putting mental health on the agenda.
What young people said about mental health in Help focus groups
"...boys are supposed to stick up for themselves...""Some people think about suicide because they are ashamed of their anatomy... they have no confidence and without confidence they haven't got the will power to stop themselves...so they end up hurting themselves."
"...skittin is another form of bullying... when you does it, it makes you feel good that you have hurt them"
"the lad doesn't talk about being bullied because he knows that if he told someone it would make it worse."
"...when you tell your mates about your problems if makes you feel better because you have got it off your chest"
"You need to sort out whatever is getting you down and then move on positively."
"I worry for all my friends... I do that first and that get me stressed out... I have one close friend who I can talk to and get support from."
"...it still seems that no one pays any attention to it (bullying)...."
"I don't think that PSHE is really relevant to us... we are not likely to need the court system at the moment are we...?"
"What makes me depressed usually is how relationships with friends are doing."
"...sometimes parents have expectations that are impossible to me....its easiest just to go with what they say..."
What teachers say about HELP
"Emotional well being of pupils is very important to me. It is this and the HELP programme in our school that has influenced my decision to train as a counsellor. Listening is the key and that is a very difficult thing to do properly."Marian Roberts, head of year, blue coat school, Liverpool
Looking ahead
To date the Help project once embedded in the school’s ethos has been easily sustainable and popular.In year one the project had an impact on around 5000 young people in 23 schools who spent a total of 1404 hours on Help activities. Only one school dropped out at the end of phase one, but four extra schools joined in Phase two of the project bringing total to 26 and pupils spent 1044 hours taking part in Help activities which included workshops, theatre performance, a national survey and video focus groups.
In phase one researchers developed ways of working with young people by phase two schools were using resources and experience gained in the first year to continue to work with young people coming up through school.
There was also a sense by phase two that the schools were taking ownership and shaping the project for themselves.
There is now a commitment to continue HELP's work to a third phase.
