NHS’ Five Steps to Improved Wellbeing

1. Connecting with others

At EST Education, we understand it is not always easy for our young people to ask for help and to talk about their feelings and their worries. However, we also know that by asking for help and talking about our problems with others, and feeling like someone cares and understands, we can greatly improve wellbeing.

All our students will take part in regular wellbeing “check in’s” and we will issue our young people with a wellbeing journal that will be part of their interventions and support. At EST Education, our values and core beliefs are based around healthy relationships, respect and kindness, giving scope for genuine, meaningful connections, both in house and when connecting with our local community.

2. Being Physically Active

We know that exercise and getting outside are proven to have a huge, positive impact on our mental wellbeing. Exercise and being outdoors raises our dopamine and serotonin levels, leading to a higher state of wellbeing.

We will actively promote and encourage our young people in accessing exercise and the great outdoors, through activities such as wellbeing walks, fitness programmes, den building and volunteering in our parks and gardens.

3. Learning New Skills

Intervention means identifying and providing effective support to children and young people who need additional support in order to reach their full potential. Effective intervention works to prevent problems occurring, or to tackle those problems head-on when they do, increasing overall wellbeing and reducing health inequalities within Salford.

At EST Education, we cover a variety of intervention support to help our young people learn new skills in order to flourish. These skills include supporting our young people to cultivate positive feelings, develop positive behaviours for learning, build positive ways of thinking, understand and express emotions, recognise their own strengths and learn ways to be resilient and cope with challenges.

4. Paying attention to the present moment (mindfulness)

Technology and social media brings huge benefits to our young people - it can link them to services, provide educational support, increase connections and lots more.

Too much screen time however, can also be detrimental to our wellbeing. Spending too much time on social media can lead to cyberbullying, social anxiety, depression, and exposure to content that is not age appropriate. Furthermore, unrealistic images and “perfect” celebrities can lead to self-image issues.

At EST Education, we link with outdoor activities and sessions that are based around increasing mindfulness naturally, accessing our green and blue spaces, limiting time spent on technology and increasing the desire for social groups and friendships, that may reduce the amount of time our young people spend on their devices and behind screens.

5. Giving to others

Social support is crucial for our overall wellbeing.  It enables us to share our thoughts, emotions and experiences. Social support has been linked to lower stress levels, improved mental health and greater resilience.

At EST Education, a big part of our work is linking with others and volunteering within the community, to encourage connection, reduce loneliness and isolation and give opportunities for further support and friendships.