Primary School children create symbolic ‘Tree of Connection’ for Children’s Mental Health Week
March 31, 2023
We were overwhelmed at the response to our large-scale ‘Tree of Connection’ art project from primary school children for Children’s Mental Health Week 2023.
Primary schools and children across the Island were invited to contribute to our Tree of Connection collective art piece, by creating individual colourful handprints that contained all the names of the people they have a connection with.
Over 2,000 handprints were received and represent the leaves on the tree which has now been proudly installed at our main Mill Court Centre in Castletown.
The theme for this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week was ‘Let’s Connect’, and as part of the essential work we do with in the Island’s schools, we aim to highlight the importance of children making healthy, rewarding, and meaningful connections, as a way of building positive relationships. Regularly connecting through friendships and relationships is fundamentally important and a huge boost to children’s mental health and self-esteem.
Steven Downward, Isle Listen’s Schools Lead explained more about the symbolic project:
“Sadly, a lack of meaningful connections is a key driver in loneliness and anxiety. This project enabled us as part of our wider primary school educational programme, to highlight to children the importance of recognising the friendships and relationships that support them. Each handprint represents the different personalities of young people we are so fortunate to work with and we know that the symbolism of the tree also represents the unique connections we all have as an Island community. We can’t thank enough all the schools and young people that participated.”