This week is #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek and I wanted to share a few resources with you.
Marking this week in the calendar provides an opportunity to promote relevant education and resources for young people, helping them better understand their mental well-being and recognise when they need support. It can also help reduce mental health stigma, making it easier for them to talk about their experiences and seek advice without fear of judgement.
If you want to promote #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, The Mental Health Foundation is its home. Each year, they choose a particular topic to focus on, anxiety is this year’s theme and the campaign runs from 15 to 21 May.
Find out more and get involved, using the hashtags: #MentalHealthAwareness #ToHelpMyAnxiety https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw
Next is the 15-minute film we created with First News – the Boys’ Biggest Conversation, featuring Dr Ranj, downloaded over 28,000 times by educators and carers. It’s a fantastic teaching resource for a school assembly or PSHE lessons. Parents can even watch it with their children at home. View the educational resources here.
We’re excited to read Dr Ranj’s new book, launched last week, on ‘How To Be Boy’. Described as an empowering and inclusive guide to masculinity for readers aged 10+ by the nation’s favourite doctor.
And finally, check out this new report from Ofcom that explores how media literacy can support positive mental health. Find out more about the 14 initiatives (including Media Smart’s Boys’ Biggest Conversation body image case study) tackling this groundbreaking area.
By promoting mental health awareness, we can empower and equip young people to manage their mental well-being – setting them up for a brighter future.
Thank you for your support.
Rachel Barber-Mack
Director of Media Smart
P.S. Did you know we have 11 FREE resources for educators, parents and guardians? Including lessons, films and guides on Body Image, Social Media, Influencer Marketing, Piracy & IP, Creative Careers, TikTok and Instagram.
Here are a few of the latest ones available for you to download and share today…
For 11-17 yrs | Key stage 3, 4 & 5
Greenwashing is when companies use marketing to appear more environmentally friendly than they are. And according to the UK Government, 40% of ‘green’ claims made online could be misleading.
With our unique focus on advertising literacy, we have invaluable insights from young people on this topic and Media Smart is delighted to announce that we’ve created a simple five-point guide and short film which can be shared in the classroom, assembly or at home explaining what greenwashing is… so young people can spot it, report it and ultimately help to stop it.
TikTok: Adverts, Creators and You
For 13-17 yrs / Secondary school / Key stage 3, 4 & 5 / + SEND version
This exciting, film-based educational resource, featuring successful TikTok Creators, will empower 13-17 year-olds with the tools they need to navigate TikTok’s commercial side, ensuring they have the most positive online experience possible. It should also assist teachers, parents and carers who want to supplement their own knowledge to help young people confidently and securely use the platform.
For 11-14 yrs / Secondary school / Key stage 3
Media Smart’s latest resource is aimed at helping teens understand the commercial link between social influencers and the brands they may be promoting. The rising number of social influencers in young people’s lives has prompted us to create a film-based PSHE teaching resource, the first of its kind to tackle this area of marketing.
How to manage your online advert experience
For 11-16 yrs / Secondary school / Key stage 3
In this new resource, we feature an animated film and classroom materials to support pupil discussions around interest-based advertising, why it exists, and how young people can best manage it. Students may be surprised to learn that this sort of advertising funds so many of the free platforms they use every day, from apps and websites to search engines.