Navigo will be in attendance at Saturday’s game against Carlisle as part of our mental health initiative supported by the Premier League Fans Fund to mark Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week.
Navigo’s Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services team, known locally as Young Minds Matter, provides mental health and wellbeing support for young people in North East Lincolnshire.
To mark Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re encouraging parents and carers to help their young ones embrace self-awareness and express their emotions and there are a few ways you can do that ahead of kick-off against Carlisle United.
You can ask your child how they think the Town players are feeling before kick-off. Are they excited? Maybe a little nervous? Use the match as an opportunity to explore emotions together. For example, a little nervousness is good as it shows the players care about the final result! Reassure them that it’s common to have a mix of emotions — it’s what makes us human!
Self-awareness includes how we speak to ourselves. Encourage your child to say, “I’ll try my best” rather than “I can’t do this”. Even if a Town player misses a penalty, they don’t give up, they keep playing. Remind them it’s OK to make mistakes and that it’s part of learning.
Just like the players on the pitch, children need encouragement, too, even when things aren’t going well. Focus on what they find challenging, and work together on a solution. This helps them understand their emotions and shows them their feelings matter.
If your child, or a young person you know, needs support with their mental health, we’re here to help. Call Navigo’s Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services on (01472) 252570, available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. For 24/7 support, call (01472) 256256 and select option 3 to speak to the North East Lincolnshire Single Point of Access.
Prefer to text? Send ORANGE to 85258 to start a conversation with a volunteer at Shout. Please note, the text service is not run by the Navigo crisis team.
UTM
