I found that I was always happier when I went to the [Power2 Thrive sessions]. I was always smiling and honestly it cheered me up if I was having a bad day.
Power2 Thrive is a programme designed to support children and young people with their mental health and wellbeing. During the programme, secondary school-aged students become mentors and role models to children in a local nursery to develop, grow and learn from one another.
Before joining the programme, Kaci, 15, often felt overwhelmed and struggled with feelings of worry which really impacted her self-esteem.
At school, Kaci was disengaged from learning as she found it difficult to answer questions in lessons and was unable to focus.
She said, “I would never really go out of my comfort zone when it comes to communication. I had a lot of panic attacks and my anxiety was quite bad.”
Kaci struggled to navigate new situations and meeting new people, becoming quiet or uncomfortable. Joining Power2 Thrive gave Kaci an opportunity to step out of her comfort zone.
In her first session, Kaci interacted well with her mentee but after a while she felt overwhelmed and needed some quiet time outside of the session to regulate her emotions.
“I spoke to Kaci and helped her to realise that she was okay, and she was doing well. Eventually, she managed to continue the session,” said Missy, her Programme Lead.
Missy introduced grounding techniques to help Kaci cope with feelings of panic and worry. They practiced mindfulness and deep breathing exercises to refocus Kaci’s mind.
They also worked together on verbal and non-verbal communication. They focused on listening skills, eye contact and how to respond with care, understanding and enthusiasm in conversations.
Kaci began to implement these tools into her daily life
I was practicing a song and I messed up quite a lot so I got really stressed out but instead of reacting how I normally would, I put on some music and took loads of deep breaths,
Throughout the Power2 Thrive sessions, Kaci’s confidence grew each week. She was managing her emotions better, taking the busy nursery environment in her stride.
She said, “I can focus a bit better and cope with my anxiety with certain methods that Missy taught me.”
Kaci even began to set learning goals with her mentee. While she had originally planned to help her mentee count to 10, she was pleasantly surprised when her mentee ended up counting to 15!
She said, “I would play with my mentee and do activities I did with my brothers when they were all a similar age. I was always smiling and honestly it cheered me up if I was having a bad day. It’s a good way to find out your good qualities when it comes to childcare.”
The boost in Kaci’s confidence showed in the group sessions with her peers too as she interacted with them more and expressed her ideas.
Kaci’s teachers noticed an improvement in her self-esteem and communication skills. She is less shy and withdrawn, she participates more in lessons, shows positivity towards school and her attendance has increased.
“I became more confident in knowing how I can communicate through different topics. I know my Maths teacher feels a lot prouder of me as I have found a way to cope and concentrate in lesson,” said Kaci.
The coping strategies Kaci learned, along with the strong bond she built with her mentee, empowered her to communicate more effectively, manage her emotions and significantly reduce her feelings of worry. Kaci became more confident and engaged in school.
I found that I was always happier when I went to the [Power2 Thrive sessions].
