As part of our 21 in 21 celebration to mark the 21st birthday of LifeLine Projects, we’ll be hosting a selection of different events throughout the year.
We kicked this off on 5th March with Positivity Breeds Possibility 2021 #PBP2021, a free online event for young people that featured live performances of rap, gospel, and spoken word, plus educational content on mental health.
This amazing event was co-created by our young SW!TCH Ambassadors, who were responsible for coordinating the event and the performances, as well as handling the art and design. The event was supported by the SW!TCH Minds team in collaboration with Havering Council, as part of their #BeNiceToYourNoggin mental health campaign.
Over 270 people signed up to hear our headline act, the MOBO Award-winning artist Guvna B, along with performances from Anxiety UK patron and LifeLine mentor Nick Brewer, rapper/songwriter/producer Happi Music, and local artist Kxba. We also heard spoken word performed by 16-year-old SW!TCH Ambassador Dara and an exclusive playlist by DJ Milk Tray from BBC Radio 1Xtra.
To help raise awareness of mental health support for young people, representatives from Havering Council’s Youth Services team, Havering Mind, and our own SW!TCH team were given time to share information on the various services that are available to help young people with their mental health.
The event was rounded out with the artists taking part in a Q&A session. 45 questions were submitted to the performers, covering topics including BAME mental health, the COVID-19 vaccine, ways to deal with stress and anxiety, and how to talk to parents and teachers about mental health.
It was a really creative way of reaching out and helping to spread the message that it's okay to talk about your mental health. And it was great to highlight the different ways people can deal with mental health issues - finding release through creativity, talking about it with a friend or a mentor, or seeking professional help are all equally valid solutions
It's okay to not be okay.
