Calvià Daily

• After its implementation last year with 300 students, the “What’s Up!  Com vas de salut mental?” (How's your mental health?)” mental health prevention and care programme will continue this year at Calvià and Bendinat secondary schools
• On the occasion of Mental Health Day on 10th October, videos highlighting socialising with family members of people with mental health problems have been released

The “What’s Up! Com vas de salut mental?” ("What's Up! How's your mental health?") initiative, already in place last year, will continue this year at Calvià and Bendinat secondary schools. The project is carried out by Calvià Town Hall's Social Services along with the 3 Salut Mental entity. The main objective is to combat the stigma surrounding mental health, offering adolescents tools to prevent, improve, and address their emotional well-being, as well as address potential difficulties if they arise. 

This initiative arises from the Mental Health Study conducted in the municipality and the joint diagnosis of the Calvià Mental Health Working Group. It was concluded that it was necessary to provide adolescents and their families with preventive emotional support tools.

To strengthen the work with families and on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, the Town Hall has collaborated with the 3 Salud Mental entity to produce a series of informative videos that feature the voices of family members who support people with a mental health disorder. One of these videos includes Pamela's testimony, who shares: "I learned to create a space for fluid and open communication, and to navigate this new everyday life and reality within the family. You always have to ask for help." The video shows her experience and highlights the importance of adolescents having a safe, loving space where they can communicate, and knowing that their family is always there when they need it. 

The “What’s Up! Com vas de salut mental?” ("What's Up! How's your mental health?") programme is developed through classroom learning situations, implemented across different subjects, along with emotional work capsules that encourage introspection, dialogue, and respect for the diversity of feelings. In addition, curricular adaptations have been made to introduce cross-curricular emotional well-being training and provide space for adolescents to speak freely, be heard, and create a more open environment conducive to understanding and discussing mental health.

In Calvià, the plan involved 299 first-year ESO students and 47 teachers from participating schools. Specific materials and emotional capsules were used in tutorials. The impact has been notable:

• 100% of schools report that students have expanded their knowledge of mental health.
• In some groups, up to 4 or 5 students per class requested emotional support. 
• 73.4% of students stated they were satisfied with the experience, and 75.3% said they felt more prepared to talk about the topic.
• The overall rating of the support provided by the schools was 3.7 out of 4.

Amongst the notable activities was the workshop "How to emotionally support our children?", aimed at families of school-aged adolescents. The sessions focused on how to provide emotional support to adolescents and promote mental health within the family environment. 

The Youth Service also incorporated emotional well-being into the leisure and free time activities of the municipality's young people. This time, the "Zone Zen" was a space where relaxation, mindfulness, and yoga, amongst other activities, were practiced. 

A Gira-sol psychologist provided specialised support in three of the sessions. The activity has been well received; in fact, attendance and engagement have improved as the sessions progressed. Therefore, it has been continued and a monthly session is still offered, adapting the content to the group's needs.

The entity 3 Salut Mental, in charge of implementing the project, is a partnership established in 2014 between Gira-Sol, Es Garrover, and Estel de Llevant, three non-profit social organisations with a solid track record in caring for people with mental health disorders, always in collaboration with families and with a team of highly qualified professionals.

Calvià Mental Health Working Group

In 2022, Calvià Town Hall created a technical working group composed of professionals from public services and social organisations specialising in mental health. In 2023, it conducted a study on the mental health and emotional well-being of the population, with the aim of analysing key indicators, identifying needs, and guiding future actions. Its findings have served as the basis for initiatives such as the "What's Up! How's your mental health?" programme, which is implemented in the municipality's secondary schools. The research was designed in a participatory manner, with professionals from public services and social organisations, and combined quantitative and qualitative techniques. Data was collected from more than 800 people, including adults and adolescents, applying a gender and age perspective. 

The results show a worrying increase in mental health problems, especially amongst adolescents, women, the elderly, and family caregivers. Difficulties in accessing mental health services, long waiting lists, a shortage of specialised resources, and a lack of coordination between services were detected. In addition, structural factors such as job instability, economic pressure, unwanted loneliness, and the impact of social media were identified as directly influencing emotional distress. 

The study also reveals a growing awareness of the importance of mental health, although stigma and discrimination persist, especially in the workplace. Professionals highlight the urgent need to strengthen specialised care, improve staff training, create safe spaces for emotional expression, and network. 

More information about the working group here.