'Northern Ireland has had the highest suicide rate in the UK for the second year in a row.'
'North Belfast is one of the most affected areas.'
In the month of February over six hundred Key Stage 3 students from both St. Malachy’s and Belfast Royal academy have participated in the ‘Mental Health Games’.
Fifty Key Stage 5 students from both schools have been working closely with TAMHI (Tacking Awareness of Mental Health Issues) to help coordinate each of the twelve sessions. In each of these sessions the students involved have aimed to incorporate the theme of having fun and being active, whilst learning about important mental health issues. These students will continue to act as mentors to their younger peers in the coming months by getting involved with TAMHI’s ‘Legacy Project’, which aims to get various schools in the North Belfast competing against each other in a range of games.
The money raised will be distributed between the mental health charities associated with the event as well as the Year 13 Missionary Project.
The College would like to thank:
Joe Donnelly and Micheal Meehan from TAMHI. Both are experts in this field and have provided the excellent informative resources each leader has used to help educate their peers. St. Malachy’s looks forward to working closely with you in the coming years to continue to develop your unique programme in schools.
The staff at Girdwood Community Hub, which hosted each of the sessions, for being most accommodating throughout.
The leaders and other volunteers for supporting their younger peers. They have developed important life skills through their participation in this event. They have also helped to promote a very important message and have significantly contributed to the future of this programme.
The Key Stage 3 participants for their behaviour, engagement and willingness to learn.
Click the links below to view more photographs!