Our most recent grant of £17,000 to Yes Futures will support the pilot of a new personal development resource, the Strengths Toolbox. The Toolbox aims to help young people to improve their self-esteem, resilience and overall mental health, by completing a workbook full of exercises and activities. The Toolbox will be distributed in a physical book format, meaning young people from all walks of life can reap the benefits, regardless of their access to computers or the internet.
The pandemic has brought emotional stress to many, and teenagers who have been isolated from their friends and wider family are no exception. Giving young people the tools to understand and care for their own wellbeing is essential to ensure they have the confidence and resilience to return to school and normal life when the time comes.
Once a successful pilot is completed, the Toolbox is intended to support Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) in schools and to aid personal development at home. Kusuma Trust’s funding will also cover the cost of an evaluation for the pilot project, gathering feedback from participating students as well as their parents and teachers. This will feed into the next stage of the project, to make sure the resource is suited to its ultimate wider audience.