Our first million

Congratulations everyone! Together, we have raised our first £1m for Action for Children’s Blues Programme.

Since the pioneering mental health initiative launched in October 2017, 1,364 young people have completed the programme in 84 schools or colleges, across nine locations. Thanks to your amazing support, we are already seeing incredible results, which are proving to have a significant and positive impact on young people's mental health.

A massive 70% of pupils who have taken part, have shown an improvement in their mental health and emotional wellbeing, with a specific decrease in depression and anxiety. Pupils also reported increased confidence and self-esteem, improved relationships and better engagement at school.

Funded by Royal Mail, the six-week long Blues Programme is based on cognitive behaviour therapy methods, helping young people understand the connection between negative thoughts, actions and feelings.

15-year-old Rowan completed the Blues Programme at Whitchurch High School in Cardiff after suffering from low moods and anxiety. She said: ‘I couldn’t really focus on things properly. There were scary periods where I was getting very anxious and not doing as well as I usually do at school as my mind was elsewhere.

‘I tried to keep how I was feeling to myself and deal with the problems alone, but I didn’t know what to do. My friends noticed a difference in me and kept asking me what was wrong.

‘It probably seems quite a small thing, but learning how to deal with my problems in a new way has made more of a difference than I could have imagined. I would be in a terribly dark place now if I hadn’t learnt how to do it.’

For further information and to find out how you can support the Blues programme, please contact Action for Children at royalmail@actionforchildren.org.uk.