Cast Messages

A fun interactive activity that shows young people how easy it is to support someone.

What you will need: Cast template provided, two different coloured post-it notes

What to do:

• Stick the cast template on a wall in the classroom (or draw your own cast on the whiteboard).
• Hand out post-its to the pupils and ask them to write down a message of support for someone with a physical health problem (for example a broken arm) and ask them to jot down some ideas of things they can do to help. Give them 5 minutes to do this. 
• Once they have finished ask each pupil to read out their message and stick it up on the cast on the wall.
• Discuss the messages and show how the same support should be applied to mental ill-health.

Some suggestions:

• If you have more time, repeat the exercise with messages of support for a mental health problem (such as depression) on different colour post-it notes.
• Laminate the cast so pupils can write directly on it.

Learning Outcome:

Pupils become aware that being supportive towards someone with mental ill-health is not different from being supportive towards someone with a physical health issue; even if one cannot see anything being “broken” or wrong on the outside.

'HWB 0-08a / HWB 1-08a/ HWB 2-08a / HWB 3-08a / HWB 4-08a
I understand that people can feel alone and can be misunderstood and left out by others. I am learning how to give appropriate support.'