GROUP WORK
AT KENT LIFE
Young Healthy Minds is one of Kent
County Council’s commissioned early
intervention services. It provides
support for 4-18 year olds which
includes building emotional resilience
and developing coping strategies for
dealing with the challenges that children and young people face. The service is provided by a
consortium of charities including Stepahead Support, Family Action and CXK.
Young Healthy Minds’ latest whole service development day was held at Kent Life, an open-air
museum of rural life in Maidstone. The focus of the day was the development of Young Healthy
Minds’ group work and it proved to be an enjoyable and productive event including just the right
combination of policy updates, observation requirements, peer support, creativity and fun.
Sean Kearns, Chief Executive at CXK provided an energiser to start the day
followed by Team leaders presenting progress reports from the group work task and finish groups
which have been working on evaluation tools, the group work process and group work activities.
Demonstrations of activities from transition to secondary school group work were innovative and
thought provoking. The change from primary to secondary school was mapped against the grief
cycle stages including shock, denial, anger and finally acceptance. Staff engaged in the activities
from the point of view of the child.
Taking part in activities designed for children and young people certainly enabled everyone to find their
inner child and this continued into the afternoon session when each Young Healthy Minds team was
asked to provide an icebreaker based on the active learning cycle of do, review, learn and apply. The
activities were varied, fast and furious that included the bean game, five handshakes in five minutes,
flap the fish and a name game that invited everyone to create a fantasy alter ego. An emotional
well-being snakes and ladders game almost didn’t take place when a hungry goat, who happened to be
passing by, took an interest in it.
This was a memorable day which brought together the talent, creativity and passion to support vulnerable children
and young people that Young Healthy Minds staff bring to the service.
Cathy Do nelon
Young Healthy Minds Team Leader
DOUST HOUSE
MEDWAY SERVICES
Brenze You Club
Hoingbourne You Club
Seindge You Club
Minster You Club
Cliffsend You Club
/STEPAHEADSUPPORT
@STEPAHEADSUPPORT
01795 597432
Patricia and Andrew from Doust House
Medway Services both attended the Princes
Trust Fair Bridge Programme on the Access
course. It was a week long course which
included trying their hand at Archery and a
camping trip to Ashdown forest to take part in
rock climbing, abseiling and tunnelling.
The course covered skills in Communication;
managing feelings; confidence; working with
others and setting and achieving goals. The
feedback from The Princes Trust was extremely
positive and congratulated both Patricia and Andrew on their efforts throughout the
week. They enjoyed it so much that they have since been canoeing with Fair
Bridge and are looking forward to participating in other activities. Well done
Patricia and Andrew.
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