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Mental health rucksacks help school students

BBC School pupils in black jumpers with white shirts and red ties, they are stood in a school hall talking and some have green backpacks on their backs which have university of reading logos on them and a resilience rucksack symbol.BBC
The scheme, led by the University of Reading, targets pupils who are transitioning to secondary education

Rucksacks have been given to school children aged between 10 and 12 to help them with their mental health.

Trinity school in Newbury is one of the eight in Berkshire and Oxfordshire taking part in the Resilience Rucksack project.

The scheme is led by the University of Reading that worked with young people, teachers, parents and mental health experts to create the wellbeing products.

Rucksacks have been distributed to about 1,200 pupils at fairs in Reading, Wokingham, Abingdon and Newbury.

Lucy Moore a teacher at Trinity Secondary school stood in a school hall wearing a lanyard around her neck and talking to the camera as school pupils gather around behind her talking while holding their new green backpacks
Lucy Moore, a teacher at Trinity Secondary School said the tools are designed to give young people "lifelong" support

Comic books, playing cards and journals are some of the wellbeing tools included in the bags.

The project focuses on four key themes; sleep, movement, self-compassion and friendship.

It is aimed at pupils who are transitioning to secondary education - those in years six and seven.

A school pupil who is stood in the school hall reading a comic book on mental health and sleep
Comic books, playing cards and journals are some of the wellbeing tools included in the bags

Lucy Moore, a teacher at Trinity Secondary School, said: "Mental health and well-being has been impacted for young people by lots of different factors and we just want to support them as best we can, now and in the future.

"The idea of this project is that they will get this physical rucksack with tools to support them lifelong."

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