Show support for #HelloYellow this World Mental Health Day

Schools, offices and community groups in Wolverhampton are being encouraged to say #HelloYellow tomorrow (Friday 8 October) and put on something yellow to let young people know they are not alone this World Mental Health Day.

The #HelloYellow campaign, created by Young Minds and supported by #YES, Wolverhampton’s Youth Engagement Strategy, and HeadStart Wolverhampton, aims to raise awareness of some of the issues that young people may face with their mental health and how to deal with them.

The campaign encourages young people to share their thoughts and know that they are not alone. 

Getting involved is simple. People can wear something yellow – from neon socks to a banana hat – and share pictures on social media using #HelloYellow. They can also email them to sarah.jenkinson@wolverhampton.gov.uk for inclusion on the #YES website. 

Schools and office settings can also get involved with a wide range of resources, such as fun-filled activities and posters to print out. These can be found at Young Minds.

Supporting the campaign, Tom Careless, Chair of Wolverhampton Youth Council, said: “Mental Health is a journey, not a destination – it’s about how you drive, not where you are driving to.” 

The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day on 10 October every year, and this year is encouraging people to do one thing and add their voice to make change happen. Children and young people in Wolverhampton are taking on this challenge as part of #YES and putting a voice to what matters to them, including selecting activities for young people to be delivered over October half term as part of the Yo! events programme. 

Councillor Beverley Momenabadi, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “2021 has been another challenging year for children and young people with many still dealing with the effects of the pandemic. 

“The mental health and wellbeing of all of our children and young people is such an important topic to discuss and we want them to know that they are not alone with their mental health.

“The #HelloYellow campaign is a great way of raising awareness of this, and I would encourage everybody to wear yellow and do something small that can make a big difference.” 

To find out more about the #HelloYellow campaign and access support if you are a young person struggling with your mental health, please visit Young Minds. 

HeadStart Wolverhampton, a key part of #YES, is working to improve the emotional mental health and wellbeing of 10 to 16 year olds by giving them the skills they need to cope with the challenges of modern life. To find out more, search for @HeadStartFM on Facebook and Twitter.