School programs

It is in our darkest moments, we must focus on the light. Aristotle Onassis

The Positive Mental Health Foundation (PMH) is a charity which was set up in 2005 at a time of escalation in tragic young deaths. The pilot phase was successfully completed in early 2006 in 3 schools in Galway. The initiative was driven by the goal of PMH which was to implement positive health promotion as early as possible in schools through training and education and to reduce the stigma attached to mental health matters. To this end, PMH provides basic training in group skills to volunteers who deliver well thought-out modules on mental and emotional issues to secondary schools in Galway City and County.

An obvious way to improve mental health is via daily walks. Andrew Weil

The aim of the programme delivered by the ‘Positive Mental Health Foundation’ is to provide secondary school students with developmentally-appropriate supports that prepare and facilitate them in their movement toward greater self-sufficiency and successful achievement of their goals. This particular programme adopts a competence perspective which is concerned primarily with building strengths and feelings of competency and efficacy amongst the students. The aim of the programme is a preventative one in that, as the students become more capable their psychological well-being improves. It is also envisioned that increased knowledge of issues around mental health within their immediate domains will result in improved attitudes to mental illness and a willingness to seek help.