CITY HALF MARATHON WALK
CITY HALF MARATHON WALK
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ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
"The best people to understand their community are the people themselves."
Our Mental Fitness Ambassador Programme empowers passionate individuals with a platform and the tools to make the difference they want to see in their community. With the right tools, language and confidence, Ambassadors work to make their community a place where each and every person can thrive.
Central to the programme are it's THREE core values.
Proactivity:
Our priority is to reverse stigma and revitalise the relationship with have with our minds, working to reach people who ordinarily would not pay attention to their mental health until in desperate need.
This is why PROJECT:TALK are pioneers of mental fitness. We believe that mental fitness is something that everyone should seek to improve and maintain proactively, just like physical fitness. When we do this, we can catch distress, overwhelm and symptoms of mental illness early and prevent progression to more acute need.
The keys to good mental fitness are positive connections within communities, and the capacity to utilise the support networks and other resources available to us. When individuals have the option to engage with peer led support, professional services are freed up to help those with more complex and urgent needs.
Visability:
An early symptom of stress, overwhelm and low mood is social withdrawal. For this reason, among many others, it is paramount that we no longer place the onus on those in need to ‘reach out’. We must reach out to them and make supporting our mental fitness the cultural norm. Additionally, we know that people are less likely to fill out a form, phone a number or engage with a service in other ways if they don’t know the faces behind it.
Our Ambassadors work within their community to increase the visibility and accessibility of both services already on offer and new ones we together to establish.
Variety:
For some, sitting with a counsellor in a quiet room over a cup of tea is highly effective. However, we must acknowledge that for many, this just isn’t what’s needed. For example, research shows that a large proportion of young adults find it much easier to discuss thoughts, feelings and emotions when conversation is combined with physical activity such as walking. Furthermore, a barrier to seeking support for many is feeling like they ‘aren’t bad enough to need support’. This is exaggerated by the narrative that services are currently overwhelmed, as many feel they should let the support go to those in real need. By increasing the variety of support available, we ensure that there is something for everyone in times of wellness as well as increased need.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Our proactive approach to mental fitness equips passionate member of communities with the tools, language and confidence to support their peers and point them in the direction of surrounding resources as pioneering Mental Fitness Ambassadors.
Many Ambassadors carry out specialised role within their respective communities, giving them the necessary training to make even more of an impact with PROJECT:TALK.
Lead a PROJECT:TALK Uni Society or equivalent
Our PROJECT:TALK University Societies (or equivalent) are a hub of activity. Hosting regular events, socials and workshops, they serve to make an impact. If you'd like to bring PROJECT:TALK to your school, college or University, this is a great place to start.
Deliver 1:1 Peer Support
PROJECT:TALK's 1:1 Peer Support Scheme connects those in need of a chat with a trained volunteer from their community who can point them in the right direction. The scheme was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic and has now provided many hours of support.
Pioneer your own project
Have an idea of your own? We can provide a platform, advice and often funding to make it happen.
Email mfa@projecttalk.org.uk for more info.
From dog walks, to therapeutic art, from coffee with a view to a brand new idea - we're determined to make sure there's something for everyone! You can take on an existing project or pioneer your own!
Lead a Mental Fitness group or activity
Become a Mental Fitness Instructor
Our TOOLS TO:TALK training aims to provide as many people as possible with means to better understand themselves and those around them, as well as the tools, language and confidence to have conversations that can save lives. As an Ambassador, you can train to deliver these sessions in your community.
Sounds good, right?
FIND YOUR COMMUNITY
Our Mental Fitness Ambassador programme currently exists in the following places:
Queen Mary Uni London
Chosen Hill Sixth-form
If you're part of one of these communities, drop us an email at mfa@projecttalk.org.uk to join the team!
Is your location not here? Contact us to bring PROJECT:TALK to your community!
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BECOME AN AMBASSADOR
Our Mental Fitness Ambassador programme currently exists in the following places:
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University of Bristol
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Queen Mary University London
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Cardiff University (soon to be up and running!)
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Chosen Hill Sixth-form, Gloucestershire
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Steyning Grammar School, London
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If you would like to become a PROJECT:TALK Mental Fitness Ambassador at the above places or at a new location please fill in the form below to apply.
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BRING THE PROGRAMME TO YOUR COMMUNITY
We're always looking for new communities to pioneer mental fitness.
If there isn't already a Mental Fitness Ambassador Programme where you are, we'd love to talk about setting one up.
We love hearing from passionate individuals as well as organisations such as schools and universities. Simply email us at mfa@projecttalk.org.uk to discuss getting started.