The ‘feel good’ week happening across Hertfordshire

The importance for young people to spend time doing feel good activities has never been greater, particularly after the last twelve months. This is being encouraged through a countywide event.

Feeling Good Week (8^th-12^th February) supports schools and community groups in arranging projects or events, which boost the “emotional wellbeing of children and young people.”

Funded by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), the initiative has seen an increase in uptake with more than 100 organisations receiving grants. 

HCC’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Prevention, Councillor Tim Hutchings, said: 

“I’m delighted the Feeling Good Week scheme has been able to approve funding for more applications than ever this year to help improve the emotional wellbeing of our children and young people. 

These grants have helped bring so many inspiring ideas from schools and other organisations throughout the county to fruition, for the benefit of our children and young people, which is especially important in these challenging times.”

The Children’s Society campaign to improve young people’s wellbeing nationwide. Research conducted by the charity shows there has been a decline in children’s happiness, during the last decade.

One in five were found to have low wellbeing, whilst 23 European countries scored higher than the UK for young people’s life satisfaction.

Richard Crellin, Policy, Research and Public Affairs Team Leader at The Children’s Society, explains why good wellbeing is vital for children:

“It’s so important to look after children’s wellbeing as this can affect their lives in so many ways, from their day to day happiness, to how they get on at school and also their mental and physical health. 

Worryingly, our recent Good Childhood Report shows that children’s happiness is at its lowest in a decade and the coronavirus pandemic has added many other tensions including isolation and anxiety. 

It’s vital we look after children’s wellbeing so we can protect childhoods and stop storing up problems for future generations.”

Applications submitted for Feeling Good Week were approved for a variety of ideas, including those submitted by Roundwood Park School (RPS) in Harpenden. The school has produced a digital newsletter with advice and mindful activities.

Additionally, they created Wellbeing Bags containing themed resources to support student’s mental health and wellbeing. Pupils can borrow bags from the school library, via its click and collect scheme. 

A spokesperson for Roundwood Park School stated, “supporting wellbeing” was “always… a key objective” and that the grant had allowed them “to put together a set of resources,” which “will benefit” the “student community both now and in the longer term.”

Other schools within Hertfordshire are organising online wellbeing sessions for pupils as part of Feeling Good Week, with some also creating “wellbeing” spaces. 

Further activities will take place later this year when students return to school, including art projects alongside additional feel good events.