Over the past eight months Talia, the Volunteer Manager of the Youth Action Academy (YAA) has been coproducing a ‘Reverse Mentoring’ session.  This involves the young people of the Academy talking to the staff working on the Mental Health Manifesto (MHM) project about their experience of certain topics.  All of the Youth Action Academy members are from single parent households and so have a unique perspective to share with us.  

Natalie Coombs, Lead service manager talks to us about Platfform, a mental health and social change charity and it’s work on the Power Up Project - providing frontline wellbeing support to young people experiencing challenges with their mental health.

Anne-Marie, Wales Development Manager talks to us about Plan International, a global children’s charity striving for a fairer world, their recent project Champions of Wales building a network of champions of equality in their communities and how they’re tackling gender based violence.

Gass talks to us about Afrizon Bespoke Service, an organisation providing information and community support for childcare and batch cooking for families and how offering respite to families in need can make a difference.

Emma talks to us about Place2Be, an organisation providing in-school emotional support to children and young people for 30 years. The importance of art as a way to build positive social and emotional connections and why they’re getting their trainers on in August!

It’s really hard dealing with our emotions around being a single parent. We wanted to put some practical and useful advice around how to support children having nightmares, plus we wanted other single parents to know that they aren’t alone with tackling this issue.

Let’s have a look at why we dream and have nightmares.

Here is how to make a super simple meditation / mindful jar.

Have you got fond memories of being read to, escaping into books or would you not be seen dead with a book in your hand?Whatever your experience, I can promise the benefits of reading together with your child far outweigh any negatives. This is why I wanted to start with why reading matters, before moving in to books I use in my Play Therapy practice and at home with my son. Reading means that children are introduced to people and families that do and don’t look like them. Their minds are broadened, their ideas sharpened and their potentials and possibilities unlocked. If you’re not a big reading fan, audio books TOGETHER and read aloud on YouTube (other streaming channels are available!) will have a similar effect.