This blog series serves as an introduction to the team behind Young Happy Minds, by sharing their personal stories of why they joined in the YHM journey. Wendy has been assisting every session of the first programme with Year 9 at Lampton High School, and has also been active as a co-facilitator.
I have always believed in social and emotional intelligence, developing an intelligence of the heart and promoting compassionate awareness. This is something I have set as an intention for myself to practice and have been doing so for many years. I met Yvonne, one of the co-founders of Young Happy Minds, at a retreat in the summer of 2015. I remember the afternoon well, we were in a session working on what we really wanted to be doing with our lives. I had that eureka moment where I suddenly realised I needed to be doing something more meaningful with my life. I remember hearing from Yvonne the program she was developing, working with young people to help them thrive and flourish and thought how fantastic this is and how much I would love to be a part of it.
And so it began. Yvonne and Martine were starting their first program with year 9 at Lampton Academy in Hounslow and I joined the team, seeing week after week the development of these 30 young people. It was truly inspiring to witness! Through working on and understanding the Young Happy Minds model, each week these 30 people, became more aware of their own strengths, developing positive emotions and meaningful relationships. What it meant to be mindful, they identified their goals, their visions, their dreams and their accomplishments. They learnt how to make other people and themselves happy and by doing so became more and more confident and grew a greater sense of self esteem . Our wellbeing is connected to others. What a better place this world would be if we all had the opportunity to grow up being aware of these fabulous tools and intentions.
