This project began a year ago through the school's Correspondence Club. In an initial phase, students wrote letters with positive messages addressed to children their age, aiming to foster emotional support and raise awareness about the importance of mental health.
The positive reception of the initiative led the NHS to compile these letters into a book available in its facilities, accessible to patients and visitors. Following this impact, both institutions decided to continue their collaboration through new joint actions, including the solidarity trip to York.
During their stay, the students replicated a Mental Health Fair at NHS premises, where they facilitated various participatory spaces. Activities included a sensory toy stand aimed at stress reduction, a mental health questionnaire to encourage dialogue, a creative expression space, and a contact point with the Correspondence Club to maintain the exchange of letters.
The initiative was made possible by the active involvement of the students, who previously organized various fundraising solidarity actions at the school, coinciding with celebrations such as Halloween and the school's Mental Health Fair. Additionally, during the trip, the students participated in an interview at BBC Radio York studios, where they shared their experience and explained the project's development, expanding the initiative's reach. It is worth noting that months earlier they had already collaborated with this program remotely, this being their first in-person intervention.
“"It has been like 'food for the soul'. The students not only enjoyed it, but they also created real and deep connections with the people they interacted with. They have returned with a broader and very enriching perspective."
The educational center emphasizes that these types of projects are part of its pedagogical approach, which prioritizes the comprehensive development of students. In this regard, they highlight that experiences like this contribute to strengthening skills such as empathy, communication, and social awareness, in addition to fostering emotional intelligence. British School of Valencia and the National Health Service are already working on new lines of collaboration to continue this initiative and further promote emotional well-being both within and outside the educational sphere.
