Local men complete mental fitness boot camp

Photo one (Left to Right)- Lexi McGuiness (Leafair Men`s Health Group) ,Carol Radcliff (CLEAR Project Coordinator) , Emmett Lynch (Just Think It- Facilitator), Andy Mc Veigh (Leafair Men`s Health) , Sean Friars (Leafair Health & Well-Being Coordinator).

The Greater Shantallow Area Partnership has now successfully delivered the first ‘Just Think It’ educational mental health boot camp in partnership with the Leafair Men’s Health Group.

The ‘Just Think It’ eight-week programme is a new community pilot initiative to help promote emotional and mental well-being at local level.

It uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles throughout the programme to help increase life skills in how to deal with daily life pressures, build resilience and raise awareness of an individual’s own mental health.

There were 23 men who participated in the programme with 100% retention.

Emmett Lynch, Just Think It facilitator said: “The eight week Mental Health Boot Camp was set up to help increase emotional fitness, challenge the stigmas associated with mental health and normalise help seeking behaviours if an individual was feeling down or  under pressure.”

Lorraine McWilliams, Greater Shantallow Area Partnership Projects Development Officer, meanwhile said that all participants benefited greatly.

The team behind the initiative have said they now envision the programme being potentially rolled out to other neighbouring communities, and even city-wide.

The Boot Camp was hosted by the Greater Shantallow Area Partnership and funded through the CLEAR Project, Public Health Agency small grants scheme.