Schools mark World Mental Health Day with festival celebrating positivity and wellbeing

Schools across Gibraltar came together from October 8 to 10 to celebrate the fourth Gibraltar Schools Mental Health Festival, supported by GibSams, under the theme: “Positive Mental Health: What Makes You Happy?”

The festival marked World Mental Health Day on October 10 and featured a three-day programme of activities centred around creativity, movement and reflection. Through music, dance and art, pupils and staff explored how self-expression and physical activity can support wellbeing and build emotional resilience.

UK-based community engagement organisation Project OK headlined this year’s programme. At Bayside School, Year 8 pupils watched two dance performances by artists Alexis Garner and Stephanie Townsend, followed by a Question and Answer session focused on the role of movement in expressing emotion.

Students also participated in choreography workshops, and staff attended a professional wellbeing session at Westside School on incorporating physical activity into the classroom and supporting self-care. In the evening, parents and guests gathered for an interactive session exploring emotional strength and connection through movement.

Project OK then visited Loreto Convent, St Anne’s Upper Primary and St Mary’s Lower Primary schools, delivering dance and creative movement workshops. At Notre Dame Lower Primary, musicians Lorraine and Manuel Enriles led music-focused sessions with younger pupils.

Primary schools across Gibraltar engaged with the “What Makes You Happy?” theme in a range of ways. Governor’s Meadow hosted sensory and creative sessions, while St Paul’s Lower Primary focused on self-care and kindness. At St Joseph’s Upper Primary, wellbeing sessions and Youth Service talks were held, and students at Bayside School created displays on happiness and emotional health.

The Youth.gi team also joined the festival, visiting Gibraltar College and St Bernard’s Upper Primary to facilitate discussions on wellbeing and the value of youth voice in mental health.

Education adviser Jackie Linares said: “This festival reminds us that mental health is everyone’s business. Thanks to GibSams, it’s now a key date in our school calendar, helping us keep the momentum going and ensuring wellbeing stays high on our agenda.”

As part of the festival, parenting expert Sue Atkins delivered two talks focused on children’s mental health in a digital world. Held at the Calpe Rowing Club and Bayside School, her sessions addressed screen time, emotional development and ways parents can support children’s offline connections and social skills.

Director of Education, Keri Scott, said the sessions reflected trends seen in Gibraltar’s schools: “We are finding that there are increasing numbers of children who have not yet reached the developmental milestones we would previously have expected prior to starting their school journey.”

Dr Scott said schools are responding by prioritising the development of core physical, social, emotional and communication skills to support learning.

The Minister for Education, Dr John Cortes, said: “The Schools Mental Health Festival has become a key element in our strategy to focus on the wellbeing of pupils, staff and parents. It aims to provide input from experts, to encourage discussion and to generally support positive mental health in everyone involved in Education.”

“This is key to the success of our young people, and important in supporting our staff. Life today is full of pressures and stresses, and we must do all we can to help our community deal with these positively. Mental health is so important.”