MedEquip4Kids, a charity for children in their final year, visited four primary schools in Tameside to run The Hummingbird Project, a six-week positive psychology-based course aimed at increasing happiness and resilience, benefiting a total of 287 students. The project was generously supported by Jigsaw Homes Tameside through a £9,950 grant from the Jigsaw Foundation.
The course covers topics such as happiness, kindness and slowing down, what makes you strong, fighting back and feeling good about your future. Sessions include mindfulness meditations, character strength cards, and fun activities like the hula hoop challenge that teaches resilience and teamwork. The sessions will be moderated by MedEquip4Kids project leader Ian Platt, a psychology postgraduate from the University of Bolton.
The feedback from the four schools was overwhelmingly positive. Teachers at St Peter’s CE Primary School in Ashton-under-Lyne told us that students have shown improvements in regulating their emotions and grounding in relation to their senses, and that students independently employ strategies to calm themselves in different situations .
“The Hummingbird Project is a project where you focus on wellbeing and mental health. You don’t judge. you can be free They do many things like games, wellbeing and they also have fun. As a person with anxiety, that helps me.” Pupils
At Broadbent Fold Primary School, Dukinfield, The children gained a better understanding of what makes them happy and how to overcome sad or negative feelings by using their strengths. This has led to an improvement in their resilience.
“The Hummingbird Project makes you feel good…when the going gets tough, just take a breath and count to ten, after that you’ll feel better. If you feel like giving up, don’t get up and try again.” Pupils
Teachers at Hollingworth Primary School in Hyde reported that the strategies and techniques learned led to an increase in group calm. The class learned to be more grateful and to look for the positive in a situation.
“If you can ever do the project, do it. It’s one of the funnest lessons I’ve ever done! I loved it and Ian is so kind and thoughtful.” Pupils
Teachers at Hurst Knoll St James CE Primary School in Ashton-under-Lyne tell us that some students have really thought deeply about the concepts they were being taught and have benefited from suggestions on how to become more resilient. They have learned that there are many different ways to be mindful, both through using the senses and through meditation.
Jigsaw Foundation Manager, Sarah Keenan, says: “I was so pleased to read the positive response from the children to the sessions we sponsored. Ian obviously worked extremely hard to deliver this project. The last few years have been tough and very disruptive for children. The impact of Covid and now the cost of living crisis in our neighborhoods has understandably raised concerns about the impact on children’s mental health. This project has therefore proved invaluable.”
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