1
Guidance Notes
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
Index
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•
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•
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•
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•
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•
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If you have any comments regarding this pack, or need any additional help in using it, please contact me:
SUZANNAH YOUDE: suze.youde@kent.gov.uk or tel: 01622 221678
All information in this pack was correct and all links active at time of upload but may be subject to change
2
Index
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
GUIDANCE NOTES
INTRODUCTION
ICEBREAKERS
EAT WELL – TOP 10 WEBSITES
EAT WELL – DISCUSSION POINTS
EAT WELL – SESSION IDEAS
EAT WELL – EAT WELL PLATE ACTIVITY
EAT WELL – 5 STAR LIFESTYLE
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE – TOP 10 WEBSITES
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE – DISCUSSION POINTS
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE – SESSION IDEAS
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE – ACTIVITY PYRAMID
MINIMISE TOXINS – TOP 10 WEBSITES
MINIMISE TOXINS – DISCUSSION POINTS
MINIMISE TOXINS – SESSION IDEAS
MINIMISE TOXINS – DRUG INFO XWORD
REDUCE STRESS – TOP 10 WEBSITES
REDUCE STRESS – DISCUSSION POINTS
REDUCE STRESS – SESSION IDEAS
REDUCE STRESS – RELAX! ACTIVITY
How to use and print this pack
A brief overview of the healthy living packs
Simple ideas for getting your sessions off the ground
The best web based resources to encourage healthy eating
Though provoking ideas to start discussions
Ideas for developing session work on healthy eating
Activity sheet based on the ‘Eat Well’ plate
Your 5 best reasons for eating healthily
10 great sites to get you active
What are the best ways to get active?
Ideas for developing sessions around getting active
How active are you every day?
The best drug education sites on the internet
Where do you stand on the issues?
Raising awareness on substance use
Can you tell your MCat from your LSD?
The best of the web for helping young people cope
looking at stigma, depression, eating disorders and more
Managing anger and developing coping strategies
Luxurious and relaxing bath treats to make and enjoy
3
Introduction
CURRICULUM CHAPTERS: 10 (Healthy Living), 16 (Mental Health), 23 (Sex & Relationships)
The information & resources in this pack (and the development pack to follow) are designed to be used in
conjunction with your UK Youth Healthaware pack to enable you to deliver a Youth Achievement Award
15 hour challenge – or simply to slot into your own planning and delivery around healthy living themes.
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
The Healthaware Challenge addresses health and wellbeing issues by encouraging young people to
participate in and develop their own health and wellbeing projects – this leads to accreditation through
Youth Achievement Awards or ASDAN. For more information visit:
http://www.ukyouth.org/whatwedo/Programmes/YAA/healthandwellbeing.htm
The National Youth Agency (NYA) has developed a set of online learning materials for practitioners
grouped around the 4 themes of Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Relationships & Sex, Mental & Emotional
Wellbeing and Substance Use. Registration is free and the online learning activities are extensive. You can
find these at the health-e website http://www.healthelearning.org.uk/course/view/1
The development pack will expand on the starter pack’s themes as follows:
Eat well – healthy body image (looking at eating disorders, pressures on young people to conform to
certain images))
Active lifestyle – health MOT (including self examination and sex & relationships)
Minimise toxins – alcohol
Reduce stress – build self esteem
Index
4
Icebreakers
•
Eat well
What am I? Cut photos of different fruit & veg out of magazines and stick them on cards. Attach a card to
each young person’s back and then ask them to ask ‘yes/no’ questions to find out what they are e.g. ‘am I
green?’ ‘do I grow on a tree?’. You could arrange the cards as groups e.g. Green vegetables, tropical fruit
and make this a team game – whoever identifies their cards and gets together as a group first, wins. Or
you could cut out pictures from the 5 food groups, draw a large ‘eatwell plate’ on flip chart paper and ask
young people to place their pictures in the correct section of the plate.
Active •
lifestyle
1234 game – run through the following commands with the group before starting the game – 1=jogging on
the spot, 2=star jumps, 3=touch the toes, 4=dance. When you call go, the group starts moving around the
area, responding to your commands. Whoever responds last each time goes out until you have a winner.
•
Minimise
toxins
Dizzy Dummies – divide the group into 2 even teams. Mark a start line and have the first team member
stand on the start line (this is a relay race so encourage the other team members to line up behind ready
to be tagged. At the other end of the course, someone holds a stick/rounders bat/cone or similar object.
Players run up the course to the stick. Put their forehead on one end and spin round 10 times then get
back to their team. Initiate a discussion about how difficult it is to accomplish simple tasks when impaired
in some way (alcohol, drugs)
Reduce•
stress
Raisin stress buster – give each member of the group a raisin to eat, then ask them to spend 5 minutes
looking at the raisin, noticing everything about it (colour, texture) before eating it and then being aware of
every action involved in lifting the raisin to their mouth, chewing and swallowing. Ask them whether they
enjoyed the raisin more because they were much more aware of the taste and the act of eating. This is
called ‘mindfulness’ which means paying attention, non-judgementally, to things as they are now.
Index
5
Top 10 Websites
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
Index
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/
Eatwell has plenty of ideas for making
healthy eating choices
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/5aday/pages/5adayhome.
aspx/
5 a Day helps you to get – and know – your 5
a day
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/HealthAnd
Relationships/KeepingHealthy/DG_10030623
Direct.gov have great healthy eating advice
for young people
http://www.connexions-direct.com/index.cfm?
pid=104&catalogueContentID=328
Connexions information on healthy eating for
young people
http://www.childrenfirst.nhs.uk/teens/health/healthy
_eating/
Teens first for health helps you eat better
and feel great
http://www.nutrition.org.uk/
British Nutrition Foundation has information
on a range of nutritional choices
http://www.thesite.org/healthandwellbeing/fitness
anddiet/healthyeating
The Site has great advice on healthy eating
for young people
http://www.youngveggie.org/
Young Veggie has tips, information, recipes
and more for young vegetarians
http://www.vegansociety.com/youngvegans/
Young Vegans has a young persons pack for
would be vegans
http://www.foodvision.gov.uk/
Food Vision aims to improve local community
health & nutrition across the UK
6
Discussion Points
•
Eat well
•
•
Active
lifestyle
•
Minimise
toxins
•
Reduce
stress
•
IndexSlid
e3
Healthy eating brainstorm: ask the group to name the 5 main food groups. Now make 2 lists on a flip
chart – healthy foods and unhealthy foods. How much should you eat from the healthy list? And
from the unhealthy list? Is it OK to have treats occasionally?
Download the presentation on heart healthy eating – there are several discussion points and
supporting messages on heart healthy eating that can be used to start and develop sessions on
healthy eating.
Have 2 empty cereal boxes – one bright, colourful and containing a sugary cereal and one plain and
containing a healthy cereal. Give each young person a slip of paper – ask them to mark an x on the
paper and then put into the box that they would choose to buy. Count up the votes to see which is
most popular. Why was this the most popular? Why did young people choose the cereal they did?
Have they already tried both? If they’ve tried one, would they try the other one?
Watch the trailer for ‘Food Matters’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kQccASm5dQ Do you
agree that ‘you are what you eat’?
Britain is facing an obesity epidemic with many implications for long term health problems. Try the
NHS Healthy Weight Calculator
http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx?Tag=&gclid=CIPrgsD_3aACFRg8lAodlj
ZmDg What did you think of the results? Do you think using body mass index is the best way to look
at weight or are there other factors that should be taken into account?
Discuss with the group what they think a healthy person looks like – glossy hair, good teeth, clear
skin – and what health problems are associated with an unhealthy lifestyle (heart problems,
diabetes, certain types of cancer). Encourage a general discussion about healthy lifestyles and
healthy choices – for example vegetarianism, veganism etc. Are any of the group vegetarians or
vegans? If so, why did they decided to choose that lifestyle?
7
Session Ideas
•
Eat well
•
Active
lifestyle
•
Minimise
toxins
•
Reduce
stress
5 STAR LIFESTYLE: This can be done individually or in small groups. Hand out the 5 star lifestyle activity sheet.
Ask young people to come up with their top 5 reasons for living a healthy lifestyle. When individuals/groups
have finished get them to feedback on the decisions they have made and encourage a group discussion about
their choices. As an extension activity you could turn this into a large poster for your centre or incorporate
sheets in a healthy lifestyle display.
HEALTHY PLATE: Divide the young people into groups of 2 or 3 and give each group the eatwell plate activity
sheet. Get each group to complete the sheet with the 5 major food groups deciding which goes where. Also
ask them to try and match the statements about each food group to the food. When they have finished,
encourage each group to feedback on what they have done, ask them why they made certain decisions and
show the group the eatwell plate http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/eatwellplate/, explaining why we
should eat more of some foods than others.
HEALTHY EATING MOT: Look at the Lifebyte 5 Day Fitness Test
http://www.lifebyte.com/clinic/body/fitnesstest/fitness-article.htm Now ask the group what they’ve eaten
and what exercise they’ve taken in the past 24/48 hours – use a flip chart to build a healthy eating and
exercise programme for a young man and a young woman (as an extension activity you could ask young
people to turn this into a poster, handout or downloadable document for your centre).
KID’S MENU: working in groups, ask young people to imagine they’re opening a family restaurant and need to
provide a kid’s menu. This should offer a main course, dessert and a drink. They will need to think about
health and nutrition, what kids like to eat, and cost (your restaurant will need to make a profit and often
processed foods are cheaper than fresh foods!) – they will also need to think about allergies and other special
dietary requirements (e.g. Vegetarianism). When they’ve finished, feedback and compare to these menus
http://www.therainforestcafe.co.uk/newmenukids.asp and http://www.little-chef.co.uk/menu/kids . Are
there are foods or choices that surprise you? Which menus are healthier? Is profit more important than good
nutrition? What future problems are there in kids eating high fat and high sugar diets? (For information on
childhood obesity try this factsheet http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/child_obesity.html)
Index
8
The Eatwell Plate
Can you match the right words and images to each section of the eatwell plate?
PROTEIN helps our bodies
grow and repair
Eat well
VITAMINS & MINERALS help keep
our bodies & our hearts healthy
CARBOHYDRATES provide energy
CALCIUM is needed
for strong teeth and
bones
FATS & SUGARS provide fast release
Energy and 40% of calories
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
Index
9
5 Star Lifestyle
What are your top 5 reasons for choosing a healthy diet & lifestyle
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
Index
10
Top 10 Websites
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/Activelifestyle.aspx
NHS ideas for exercise & fitness
http://smallsteps4life.direct.gov.uk/secondary/home/
Direct.gov information for young
people
http://www.activekent.co.uk/
Active Kent has information on
living a more active lifestyle
http://www.kentsport.org/
Kent Sport has information on
sports activities for all across Kent
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/healthyweight/getactive/
Eatwell has tips on getting – and
staying - active
http://www.connexions-direct.com/index.cfm?pid=127
Connexions advice on getting
active if you have a disability
http://www.nhs.uk/Change4life/Pages/Default.aspx
Change 4 Life helps you to eat
better and move more
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Fit-for-Free
Tips and information on getting fit
for free
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/getfit/
iVillage has a variety of workouts to
suit everyone
http://www.thefitmap.co.uk/exercise/guides/index.htm
The fitmap has a good range of
exercises to do at home
Index
11
Discussion Points
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
We all know how important it is for our wellbeing to be fit and active but gyms can be far too expensive.
What are the benefits and downsides of the following alternatives to that expensive gym membership?
• Home gym equipment (fits around your life, as hard as you make it/you need to be self motivated)
• Fitness DVDs (range of workouts to suit everyone, boosts motivation/potential boredom with
repetition or presenter)
• Exercise games (fun & sociable, good if you hate exercise, less likely to get bored/consoles are
expensive, not necessarily an intense workout)
• Yoga (improves strength, posture & flexibility, easy to do at home/need to attend classes to make
sure you’re doing the postures correctly)
• Online training (tailor made service, good range of exercise/online help will never be as precise as a
human trainer)
• Store cupboard fitness – using things you find at home as fitness equipment (cheap, go at your own
pace/easy not to bother!)
• Running a marathon or other charity sporting event (motivation to train, cheap, support from fellow
runners/can be boring to start with)
Is it healthier to be fat and fit or skinny and unfit? (this article has some surprising answers
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/09/fit-fat-unfit-thin)
According to a MIND survey, 83% of people with mental health issues use exercise to help them feel
better. How do you feel when you exercise? Do you feel you get enough exercise?
Index
12
Session Ideas
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
YOUR EVERYDAY GYM: Generate a discussion about the activities we do every day. Using a flip chart, get the group
to discuss the activities they do at the following times: Early morning, Breakfast time, Going to school/work, At
school/work, Going home, At home, Bedtime
Encourage the young people to focus on physical activity – walking to school/work, playing football etc. Now
encourage the group to think about how the activities they have listed make them feel e.g. full of energy,
exhausted, elated, like going to bed etc. Do they feel better when they have been physically active during the day?
Does being physically active give you more energy?
GET FIT ON THE CHEAP: Start a discussion about exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. Explain the importance of
doing some activity that makes your heart beat faster and some that encourages you to bend and stretch. Discuss
ways that you can get fit without spending much money – encourage the group to share ideas about getting fit
cheaply – good activities you can do for nothing or very little. Brainstorm these on a flip chart and then use these
ideas to produce a poster or brochure to encourage other young people that a healthy lifestyle needn’t be an
expensive one.
THE ACTIVITY PYRAMID: Give each young person an activity pyramid template to fill in, relating the activity to the
‘Your Everyday Gym’ activity – they can write in the activities, draw them or stick on pictures. Encourage a
discussion about the balance of activities young people might do and how they need aerobic activity (that raises the
heart rate) and anaerobic activity (stretching and strengthening) to maintain overall fitness. Also remind them that
need to rest and relax as too much exercise can lead to injuries.
Then draw an activity pyramid on one sheet (or several) of flip chart paper and encourage the group as a whole to
fill it in – again, using words, drawings and stuck on pictures
THE FITNESS CHALLENGE: Visit the Directgov Kids http://kids.direct.gov.uk/ website and try the ‘Fitness Challenge’
game (find the Olympic stadium then click on it to start the game). This ties together ideas about healthy eating,
exercise and rest & relaxation all being essential to a healthy, active lifestyle.
Index
13
The Activity Pyramid
Rest
& inactivity
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Activities that involve bending & stretching
(anaerobic)
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
Activities & Games that make your heart beat faster (aerobic)
Index
14
Top 10 Websites
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
http://www.talktofrank.com/
Frank is a comprehensive drugs
education resource
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/HealthAndRelationships
/ConcernedAbout/DG_10030639
Direct.gov has information and
links for young people
http://www.need2know.co.uk/health/addictions
Need 2 know’s advice on
dealing with addiction
http://www.thesite.org/drinkanddrugs
The Site has information &
advice for young people
http://www.drugscope.org.uk/
Drugscope aims to reduce drug
related harm
http://www.release.org.uk/
Release has info on drugs, the
law & human rights
http://www.kca.org.uk/
Kent Centre for Addicition
operates across the county
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/
mentalhealthandgrowingup/drugsandalcohol.aspx
RCP fact sheets on drugs &
alcohol
http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/drugs/Pages/Drugshome.aspx
NHS information & resources
http://www.kenwardtrust.org.uk/
Kenward Trust offers help after
addiction
Index
15
Discussion Points
•
Eat well
•
•
Active
lifestyle
•
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
•
•
•
Index
Mephedrone is currently in the news, especially as it has been linked to a series of deaths in young
people. Read the information here
http://www.drugscope.org.uk/resources/drugsearch/drugsearchpages/mephedrone.htm Do you
think mephedrone should remain legal? What might be the long term health risks?
Boxer Joe Calzaghe has admitted to using cocaine since retiring from boxing
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/8592356.stm - do you agree with Nicky Piper? Or do
you think that Calzaghe was unlucky to be caught by newspaper reporters?
Watch the video http://www.bbc.co.uk/headroom/wellbeing/guides/mmby_drugs.shtml Discuss
the advice that Dr John Crosby gives. Now watch the video with Antonio
http://www.bbc.co.uk/headroom/wellbeing/guides/mmby_drugs.shtml?mmby2_antonio Were
you shocked by the aging effects that drugs have had on his heart & brain?
Read the article http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3403941.ece Are
you surprised that legally available prescription drugs can cause such problems? Do you think such
drugs help the problem or disguise it? What do you think about the statement that “There’s an
incredible stigma against depression in California, where it’s regarded as worse than bad breath.”
Read the story on the Frank website http://www.talktofrank.com/article.aspx?id=7507 ‘I was
pressured into smoking cannabis’ – have you felt pressurised to do something you didn’t want to?
How did you cope?
Imagine that a new friend has found a bag with pills in it in his brother’s bedroom. He doesn’t
know what they are but he swallows two and tries to get you to take some too. Your friend is
really popular at school and you don’t want him to think you’re soft. What physical signs of fear
might you suddenly experience? What would you do? How would you feel?
Read the article – what can the west do about this problem? What if the opium was used
medically and not sold illegally?
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62R0QH20100328?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews
16
Session Ideas
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
Index
Why take drugs? Using a flip chart, brainstorm the reasons why young people might take drugs. Explain
that all kinds of people take drugs – prescription and illegal ones – to make themselves feel better or
different. Explain that problems start to happen when you lose control of the situation – try to identify that
point for each of the reasons you have identified, and then think about what you could do to help
someone who has lost control in that way. It may be useful to develop a grid on flip chart paper:
Reason why drugs are taken
Moment when control is lost
What you can do
Ex: Curiosity
Ex: When you move on to other drugs
Ex: Tell you friend to talk to Frank
Drugs league table: Write the names of the top 20 most harmful drugs on pieces of card – they are (in
order): Heroin, Cocaine, Barbiturates, Street methadone, Alcohol, Ketamine, Benzodiazepine,
Amphetamines, Tobacco, Buprenorphine, Cannabis, Solvents, 4-MTA, LSD, Methylphenidate, Anabolic
steroids, GHB, Ecstasy, Alkyl nitrates, Khat (use Frank A-Z http://www.talktofrank.com/atoz.aspx to find out
any you’re not sure of – or you could write a brief description of the drug on its card). Give a card(s) to
each young person and ask them to rank it from 1-20 (you could write the numbers on a piece of flip chart
paper). Ask them why they made that decision then compare your ranking to the official one
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/mar/04/drugsandalcohol.smoking). How close were you? Were
there any surprises? Which ranking do you think is better?
Roleplay: Take the final discussion point (above) and develop into a role play. Suggested characters: you,
you’re friend, his brother, his brother’s mates, his parents, your parents, your mates.
Drug information brochure: Examine some promotional brochures and decide on the designs that work
best – they will probably be easy to read, clearly laid out and have strong graphics. Now give young people
the crossword activity – they will be able to find any answers they didn’t know on the Frank A-Z site
http://www.talktofrank.com/atoz.aspx Encourage them to jot down any additional information that
strikes them as useful. Now divide the group into smaller groups and ask them to use the information from
the crossword to design a drugs information brochure – point out they
may like to use humour, cartoons and case studies to make their brochures
eye catching & informative
17
Drug Info Xword
1
2
3
Eat well
4
5
6
7
9
Active
lifestyle
10
11
Minimise
toxins
12
13
Reduce
stress
Index
Across
3.The name of this hallucinogenic drug is LSD which stands for ________ Acid
Diethylamide
5.This comes from the leaves of a plant and contains nicotine which is highly
addictive
10.Many celebrities have become addicted to these kinds of drugs, even
though they are legally available
11.A natural opiate made from morphine that comes from a poppy
12.These hallucinogenics grow in the wild and are known as magic _______
13.Freebase and crack are both forms of this drug which is a powerful 18
stimulant
8
Down
1.The original designer drug associated
with clubbing and raves
2.This is seen as a socially acceptable
drug. It's a depressant which slows your
body's responses
4.The most widely used illegal drug in the
UK, it's also known as blow, draw or
skunk
6.This is a short-acting but powerful
general anaesthetic used for operating
on humans and animals
7.This is a stimulant that people take to
keep them awake. It's known as 'speed‘
8.These are found in gases, aerosols
and glue
9.The 'legal high' that's a kind of plant
food. It's related to amphetamines like
ecstasy
Top 10 Websites
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
http://www.youngminds.org.uk/front-page
Young Minds promotes young
people’s mental health & wellbeing
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfoforall/youngpeople.as
px
Royal College of Psychiatry’s mental
health leaflets for young people
http://www.thesite.org/healthandwellbeing/mentalhealth
The Site has extensive information
and resources for young people
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/MentalHealth/Pages/Mentalhealthh
ome.aspx
NHS mental health & wellbeing
information
http://www.youthinmind.co.uk/
Youth in Mind helps stressed children
& young people
http://www.need2know.co.uk/need2know/health/mental_health
Need 2 know offers information &
advice on a range of issues
http://www.handsonscotland.co.uk/
Hands on Scotland toolkit for
promoting positive mental wellbeing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/headroom/
Headroom has great videos and other
mental health & wellbeing resources
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
Mental Health Foundation has a
useful online assessment tool
http://www.signpostuk.org/
Signpost Kent provides information,
advice & help on mental health
Index
19
Discussion Points
•
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
•
•
•
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
•
•
Watch Ed Oliver’s life story http://www.kenttv.com/#PRG2112 – what do you think about Ed’s
attitude to his psychosis? Do you think there’s a connection between mental health and
physical wellbeing?
Watch the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H-joP-QXXo were you surprised by the
statistics? Do you know anyone who has experienced depression? How did they cope? (You
could also suggest the group develop their own video exploring an aspect of young people’s
mental health)
Many celebrities have talked about their mental health issues. Read the article
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/mental_health/article4302640.ece why
do you think a lot of creative people have mental health issues? Can being creative help to
address those issues?
Look at the anti stigma posters here
http://www.cpft.nhs.uk/Publications/Antistigmaposters/tabid/283/language/enGB/Default.aspx Do they work? If so, why? If not, why not? Is it acceptable to use terms like
‘loony’, ‘bonkers’, ‘nutter’? Should we judge people because they have a mental health
issue? (You could encourage the group to produce their own anti stigma poster for the
centre)
Kate Moss recently said ‘nothing tastes as good as thin feels’? Do you agree? Or do you
think that size zero models put pressure on young women to conform to an ideal of beauty
that might involve extreme dieting or even eating disorders? (You could mention that 8 out of
10 models are technically anorexic because their BMI is below 15).
Try the stress checklist http://www.lifebyte.com/clinic/body/stress-checklists/stressarticle.htm how did you do? Do you need to take it easy, or take more exercise?
Index
20
Session Ideas
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
Index
WHAT MAKES ME ANGRY: Go round the group and ask each young person to name one thing that makes them
angry – write up on a flip chart, or get the young people to do it (if this is appropriate). Choose one that presents
good options for role play e.g. ‘It makes me angry when I can’t go out with my mates’. Ask young people what they
would do in that situation – get angry, sulk, have a row with their parents, sneak out anyway etc. Then choose 4
young people at random and assign them roles e.g. parents, young person, their mates. Summarise the situation
they’ll be role playing and then start the role play. Follow with a discussion – how did the participants feel, would
they have done anything differently, would other members of the group have acted the same way (this activity can
be kept as a group discussion if the group are unlikely to be responsive to role play). Use the discussion to develop
strategies for dealing with feelings of anger, stress, disappointment etc. There are some good tips here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2181575 and here http://www.wellscotland.info/stress-busting.html
IN THE BIN: You can use a real bin, or just mime one. Ask young people to think of one thing that someone has said
to them this week that made them feel angry. Invite one of the group to tell you their phrase. Now talk this through
e.g. a young person has been called a slag. You might say ‘You don’t know me so you can’t possibly know what I’m
like. You’re talking a load of rubbish. In the bin!’ Accompany this with a gesture of throwing something in the bin.
Repeat the process a few times, then turn it around – let the young person tell you the insult, use it to insult them
and let them talk it out and get rid of it. At the end of the activity, explain that this is a really good way to get rid of
negative feelings and that, if something is bothering them, they can talk it through and bin it.
BE POSITIVE: Ask the group to sit in a circle. Start by saying: ‘There’s someone I really don’t like but they have a nice
smile’. Then ask the next young person in the group to think of something positive about someone they don’t like.
Go round the circle. Start the next round by saying something positive about the young person on your left – try to
say something positive about them and their personality rather than their clothes. Go round the circle. Start the next
round by saying something positive about yourself, then go round the circle – try and encourage young people to
talk about themselves rather than what they wear or their taste in music. You could say something like ‘yes, your
trainers are cool but imagine you’re lying in the bath – now what do you like about yourself’. Go round the circle.
Finally, repeat but say something positive about the group and the session e.g. ‘I think you’ve worked really well as a
group today’.
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Relax!
Nothing is more relaxing than a long soak at the end of a hard day – why not try these easy recipes for creating some
delicious bathtime treats?
Eat well
Active
lifestyle
Minimise
toxins
Reduce
stress
Index
Relaxing Fizzy Bath Salts
Relaxing Milk Bath Recipe
You will need:
1 cup Epsom salts
1 cup sea salt
1 cup bicarbonate of soda
A few drops of food colouring (your choice)
Essential oil combination (see below)
½ cup citric acid
You will need:
1 cup salt
1 cup non-fat dried milk
1 cup bicarbonate soda
Combine the ingredients in the order they’re listed
– make sure you add the citric acid last!
Mix well!
Next time you have a bath, add 3-4 tablespoons to
the running water.
ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS (you can buy the oils in
Boots or online – try Amazon)
PEACE:
3 drops peppermint
4 drops rose
3 drops honeysuckle
ABUNDANCE
4 drops lemon balm
4 drops clove
4 drops citronella
RELAXATION
4 drops lavender
4 drops neroli rose
4 drops ylang ylang
Relaxing Bath Oil Recipe
Mix together:
1 ½ oz olive oil
3 oz almond oil
1 oz sesame oil
1 oz rapeseed oil
½ oz wheatgerm oil
Add one of the essential oil blends from the bath
salts recipe, or add 15-30 drops of lavender,
rosewood or sandalwood essential oil
Makes enough for 7 baths (1 oz per bath)
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