The Sections of THRIVE in Sefton

Figure 3: The THRIVE Model

Windmills are a local organization helping to create a thriving space. They focus on a young persons “social signature”. These are the actions, kindness, and contributions which shape the legacy you leave behind. Sefton Social Signature is a movement which empowers young people to thrive by caring for themselves, their community and the world around them. Across Sefton, over 3000 4–18-year-olds
Social Signature mark makers have co-created a map of ‘24 Ways to Make Sefton a Better Place’. They have impacted on areas including health, relationships, safety, poverty, learning and the environment.

Young people have spread SMILEs across their neighbourhoods in partnership with Sefton CVS, Sefton Council and local charities. These Social Signature Smiles have ranged from intergenerational beach cleans, homeless wellbeing packs and anti-knife crime runs to recording songs for children’s charities, first aid training, buddying up programmes, volunteering and random acts of kindness.

In giving back, connecting, exercising, appreciating and learning new things, these young people have significantly enhanced their levels of health and wellbeing. 98% have grown in confidence; 96% now feel better connected with their community: 95% have increased their contribution the place they learn and live in; and 97% feel more hopeful about their futures.

Windmills’ vision, with support from the Prince of Wales, is to take a proactive approach to mental health and well-being by helping every child in the country to leave their Social Signature legacy before leaving primary school. Helping them to understand it’s not the marks you get in life that count, it’s the marks you leave.

Figure 4: The Social Signature

This is a coordinated piece of work with support from multiple partners including SEND, Children’s Social Care, School Health, Mental Health Support Teams, School teachers and Teaching Assistants, Green Sefton, Liverpool Football Club, Crosby Plaza Cinema, Sefton at Work and Sefton Welfare Rights. School events were arranged and
attended across Formby, Southport, Maghull and Bootle school clusters. Recently approximately 60 families attended weekly 4 hour sessions, with over 100 children present. Feedback from families and professionals showed the support provided safe spaces, activities, information sharing, sensory play, preparation for the coming school term, making friends and supporting parents ‘mental health’.

The atmosphere at the events was extremely positive and several parents and children said that these days were the best days they had all Summer. Several families said that these support days represented their only real opportunity to get out at all. Families and professionals all noted how the children thoroughly enjoyed sensory play opportunities and grew increasingly sociable and confident as they enjoyed safe consistent support in these settings. Every feedback form stated that both families and professionals would like to see more of these sessions in place across future school holidays.

Katy disclosed to her tutor that she was feeling lonely and anxious since starting college. Katy was offered a weekly catch up session with her tutor and was signposted internally to the college’s friendship group. Katy was also taken to the college’s enrichment hub, where she was able to access a variety of sporting activities, craft groups and mindfulness sessions. Katy was supported to sign up to Kooth, where she was able to access a plethora of psycho education, plus online counselling if required. Katy consented to her Mum being contacted by her college tutor, information was shared with Mum and advice given around how to effectively manage anxiety and things that may be helpful.

15 year old young person with experience of ACEs and family conflict was referred for counselling sessions by their parent. The young person had low mood, fatigue, a sense of ‘emptiness’ and feelings of irritability. Some challenges included friendship issues, education/ exams, also physical health and wellbeing with a desire for more energy and motivation. The young person wanted to improve their emotional wellbeing, building resources and resilience and feeling hopeful for a positive future. The client accessed 6 Person Centred Counselling with Expressive Arts Therapy (PC-EAT) sessions;
integrating creative, emotion focused and somatic therapeutic activities. The outcome was a recorded decrease in levels of anxiety and depression. They had increased energy, greater self-care and compassion, emotional awareness, connecting to values and choices with personal agency and decision making. They expressed a
new focus on enjoyment of milestones ahead e.g. attending prom, accessing college, volunteering and work opportunities, and beyond this, independent living as well as new friendships.