Year 4 pupils at Butterwick Pinchbeck's Endowed Church of England Primary School took part in the KS2 Young Leaders Award this year. As part of the programme each pupil researched a charity of their choice. Through this activity one pupil found out about a mental health charity called ‘Richmond Fellowship’ and was inspired to share the charity’s important work with the rest of his class to raise awareness. Staff from the charity also visited the pupils to talk more about mental health and how they support people in their local area, including running a local ‘crisis house’ for people recovering from mental health problems.

The whole class became passionate about supporting this charity and decided to organise a cake sale to raise money towards their work. They planned and organised their event and raised an impressive £274 to donate to ‘Richmond Fellowship’.

The pupils also explored and learnt more about mental health during a whole school ‘Wellbeing Week’ which linked to their Young Leaders Award work and allowed them to become more aware of their own mental health and how they could do things to support the wellbeing and mental health of others in their school. They crocheted worry worms for all the Year 4 children and organised some random acts of kindness making flowers for all the staff in school adding positive upbeat personal messages to them.

Their teacher reflected that the YLA had helped the pupils to “think about the bigger picture and how they could change the world not just their school.”

Many pupils also showed kindness to others through their personal challenges during the YLA. These included sorting rubbish and putting bins out for an elderly neighbour, collecting old clothes to donate to a local charity and potting plants to give to each class in the school. All wonderful examples of pupils taking initiative and putting their leadership skills into action.

“Doing the Archie challenges made me feel good helping other people especially my old neighbours.”

“I think doing this award is good as you help other people who aren’t as lucky as you.”

KS2 Young Leaders

Through both their individual challenges and their community action project to support the important cause of mental health these young leaders have set a wonderful example of how to ‘be the change you want to see’.