Welcome to the Mindful & Wellbeing for Young People Practitioner Course. I hope that you enjoy learning about mindful wellbeing for good mental health, mindful moments and lots of other useful topics, including a variety of techniques you can use in schools.
Firstly I would like to introduce myself and secondly, explain why I think it is so important that training like this is important for the young people we look after. My name is Clare Hales and I am the founder and director of Developing Matters CIC, I have been delivering my Mindful & Wellbeing courses and interventions since 2016; previously I was a special needs teacher for 8 years. I am fully qualified to deliver mindful wellbeing courses to young people and also yoga for special needs and I have created this training course for school staff from my experience of delivering courses and interventions to young people. Currently I am completing my PhD research project Mindfulness-based Interventions for Autistic Young People at Edge Hill University.
So why do I think it is so important for others to learn the strategies and knowledge to deliver my course directly?
I’ve received positive feedback from young people, schools and families when I work with them directly. However it is difficult to go into a school or work with a family or young person for 9 weeks delivering 1-hour sessions and then leave for the techniques and strategies to not continue. Mindful strategies and concepts are easy when you know how, but to practice these simple techniques and to embed the concepts and learning into day-to-day life involves constant reminders, activities and prompts for us as adults let alone young people to continue to practice!
And that is where you come in! If you had the tools and techniques, the knowledge and understanding to let young people in your care live a more mindful life (whilst doing the strategies yourself for yourself also), then maybe life would be a little more easier to navigate.
Disclaimer: As this is a pilot project, the course may need amending as we go, including typo’s! Any feedback will be greatly appreciated as we work through the units together. Throughout the units you will build up access to each module of the Mindful & Wellbeing Course Manual to work through with your pupils, plus a certificate of accreditation to confirm you are a Mindful & Wellbeing Practitioner for young people the cost will be half price (£225). This cost will give you the PDF for all 9-modules that you can re-print and use with as many pupils as you wish and 2 documents for planning and assessments through the RSE Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing Objectives and the activities within the course for young people to meet the NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing Objectives, plus the Mindful & Wellbeing Course Objectives.
To avoid confusion the sections you will work through within the training will be units. There will be topics to read or thinking reflections for units A, B and the final unit L. For units C-K you will work through a module of the course for young people and deliver some strategies, sessions and activities. For the course pupils will work though the sections as modules with sessions and activities to work though to complete. The sessions are the teaching and learning elements followed by an activity to complete to consolidate understanding. The session content may need to be adapted for individual need.
You can get in touch and book two free consultations during your learning journey. If there is any additional support you feel that your school may need for additional needs, anxieties and self-regulation the cost is £50 per zoom consultation. Please feel free to contact me directly on developingmatters@gmail.com.
Course Content
Unit A – Introduction including mental health and wellbeing in schools, the course manual structure for young people and the unit reflections you need to complete at the end of units C-K. Mindful Wellbeing will also be explained in relation to learning throughout the course for young people and also what mindfulness is for young people.
Unit B – Guiding mindful moments and breathing techniques will be explained. Documents for the RSE Physical Health & Mental Wellbeing Curriculum, NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing Activity Guidance and the Mindful & Wellbeing Course Objectives will also be explained in unit B and PDFs for each document provided.
Unit C – Mindful Wellbeing and Module 1 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit D – Fight, Flight, Freeze and Module 2 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit E – The Busy Mind and Module 3 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit F- Stress and Module 4 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit G – Thoughts and Module 5 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit H – Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviours and Module 6 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit I – Helpful & Unhelpful Choices and Module 7 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit J – Happiness & Kindness and Module 8 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit K – Acceptance and Module 9 of the ‘Mindful & Wellbeing Course’ for young people.
Unit L – Consolidation & The Future.