Our Senior Mental Health Lead at Wyvern is Alison Cooper and she is also a trained ELSA:
Alison says:
In 2019 I became a trained ELSA, I thoroughly enjoy the role and value the time I am given to deliver sessions to students.
I have also attended training as a Mental Health First Aider in May 2022 and I completed my Senior Mental Health Lead training with the YMCA in June 2023.
Since I began my new role as Senior Mental Health Lead in September 2023, I have set up an ELSA Room (emotional literacy support) alongside the Rainbow Room (Intervention room). The rooms are use regularly for Elsa sessions on Monday and Wednesday. The sessions are timetabled, each student has 30 minutes, sometimes longer!
Latest ELSA Update:
When the rooms are not being used for ELSA, students can still access the area if they need some time away from class , or if staff want to work with a student one to one or in small groups in a quiet environment, away from a busy classroom.
In October we wore Yellow for Mental health day. Staff and students wore yellow and donated a £1. We had Yoga in the hall in the morning and in the afternoon we had disco sessions. (We raised £105 to donate to Young Minds). It was a fun day enjoyed by staff and students.
Throughout the term I have regularly updated the wellbeing board/staff room, signposting staff to the many resources available regarding mental health, well being and the support available to them and their families.
The staff counselling is very well received and many staff have reported back that they found it very helpful.
In December the focus of our Wednesday staff meeting was mental health and ELSA. I provided staff with a well being pack containing useful info on Elsa, wellbeing tips, staff counselling leaflet, positive quotes and lots of chocolates to keep them going whilst they completed a staff survey, which was centred on understanding our students mental health needs.
Through my role I can support staff and signpost them to the appropriate agencies to seek the help they may need. The SMHL role is an important one and I look forward to the year ahead supporting staff and students with their mental health and wellbeing, whilst also working as an ELSA.
Alison Cooper
