On February 28 of this year, we celebrated our 5th anniversary!
That’s…
- 5 years of fighting the stigma against mental health.
- 5 years of school workshops and gigs, and
- 5 years of creating impactful resources for children, teens, and adults!
To celebrate this important milestone, we’d like to give you an update on where we’re at, where we’re headed, and how YOU can get involved.
Remaining Flexible Through the Pandemic
We quickly responded to the impact of Covid-19 by tailoring our content for a world grappling with loss, trauma, and anxiety about the future. This included a special podcast season with key workers along with a dedicated Covid-19 resource page.
Additionally, in order to continue working in schools without interruption, we also adapted our in-person workshop experience and created an online learning platform – empowering teachers worldwide to help their students learn how to look after their mental health through periods of lockdown.
Key Mental Health Stats We’re Tackling
We are passionate about the fact that just like our physical health, we ALL have mental health – and we ALL deserve to have access to resources and tools to help us maintain it.
Beyond that, the statistics among those struggling with their mental health are alarming.
- 1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts. (Source: Mind)
- 7 in 10 young people with a mental health problem haven’t had sufficient help at an early age. (Source: MQ: Transforming Mental Health)
- 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England. (Source: Mind)
- Compared with 2019, the proportion of mental health-related visits in the United States for children aged 5–11 and 12–17 years increased approximately 24%. and 31%, respectively (Source: CDC)
- Since lockdown, over a third of parents (36%) say that their children are feeling isolated and lonely, with millions also reported as anxious, or unable to sleep. (Source: Action for Children)
- 3 children in every class have a diagnosable mental health condition. Source: MQ: Transforming Mental Health
We see first-hand the need for comprehensive, culture-changing mental health support that educates, inspires, and prevents underlying mental health concerns from reaching a crisis.
Through our online and offline work, we provide:
- A mix of paid and unpaid consistent digital resources in the form of educational curriculum, podcasts, blog articles, and videos.
- A way to connect with people through the power of music.
- An in-person experience (when possible) through gigs and live workshops, enabling us to engage with the community and develop real-world relationships.
We know that our work is not yet finished, but we are ready to tackle the next five years and beyond!
To learn more about our work in 2020, you can access our 2020 Annual Report here.
Testimonials from Students and Teachers
Here’s what some students and teachers have had to say after working with us:
“Great presentation that came across very well to us. The best PSHE we have had in a while. That was worth missing a lesson for. Very engaging. Clear. Easy to understand. Also quite FUN!” – Sarah (Year 11, Newlands Girls School)
“What we can teach them in 6 hours a day is nothing in comparison to them leaving school with self-awareness and ability to talk about their feelings and emotions.” – Mr. Beasley (Primary School Teacher)
“I’ve seen a lot of outside agencies coming in to do assemblies in my time, but that was the best I’ve seen in fifteen years.” – James Robinson (Assistant Head, Ashcombe School, Dorking
5th Anniversary Fundraiser & Campaign
We kicked off our 5th anniversary by hosting a virtual 5K with some of our closest pals and supporters.
We also launched a Crowdfunder campaign, with the aim of raising funds to help us:
- Give access to our learning platform to even more students and teachers worldwide.
- Create even more engaging and relevant mental health resources tailored for children, teens, and adults.
- Allow our team to focus on this work full time.
This campaign will be active throughout March as a part of Crowdfunder’s #MentalHealthMatters campaign.
If you feel inspired to donate to our work, you can access our Crowdfunder page here.
Check Out Our New Line of Merch
We have also launched some fun merch items alongside our 5th-anniversary celebrations. You can purchase the following items on Lily-Jo’s webshop here – with all proceeds going to support The Lily-Jo Project
“55 Gems of Wisdom” E-book – Available Now!
We are also proud to announce that we have just released our first-ever e-book: “55 Gems of Wisdom”!
This e-book features some of the words of our contributors and is packed with 5 years’ worth of mental health quotes, inspiration, and thought-provoking journal prompts.
You can access this book exclusively on our Crowdfunder page here by making a £5 donation.
Looking Ahead
We can’t go on this journey alone, and we’d like to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has walked alongside us throughout this journey.
If you’d like to get involved with fundraising for us, sponsoring a school in your area, or sharing your story on our blog or podcast – we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out to us at admin@thelilyjoproject.com and let’s chat!
Onwards and upwards!
Lily-Jo and The Lily-Jo Project Team xx
