At Family Mental Fitness North East CIC, our impact is seen in small, meaningful changes that ripple into everyday life.
Through our Better Together approach — Safe, Calm, Create, Connect, Grow — we support children, young people and families to build regulation, expression and connection within their communities.

What We Did
Families worked together through pirate-themed puzzles, code-breaking, maths challenges, crosswords and mazes, collecting treasure and prizes along the way.
The activities combined learning and play while giving adults and children shared problems to solve.
What We Saw
Children and adults exchanged ideas, offered clues and encouraged one another through the challenges.
There was persistence when puzzles were difficult, plenty of humour and a real sense of shared success. Nobody needed to be asked to talk about relationships or wellbeing — connection happened naturally while families were busy doing something together.
Outcomes
CONNECT — teamwork, encouragement and shared success
GROW — persistence and problem-solving
CREATE — exploring different approaches and ideas
SAFE — playful challenge without fear of getting things wrong

What We Did
During the summer holidays, Family Mental Fitness provided activities as part of the HAF programme at The Lighthouse Project.
Alongside the wider holiday provision, the yurt offered children a quieter, welcoming space to settle, create and spend time together. Activities included creative wellbeing work and making our Pathway of Positivity stones.
Children could move between activities, work independently or alongside others, and choose how they wanted to use the space.
What We Saw
Children sustained concentration on creative activities while relaxed conversation developed naturally around them.
Some actively sought out the yurt as an alternative to busier activities, settling individually or alongside peers before moving on when they were ready.
The Pathway of Positivity also allowed children to contribute something of their own to the shared outdoor environment.
Outcomes
CALM — access to a lower-stimulation space within busy holiday provision
CREATE — sustained creative activity and individual expression
CONNECT — relaxed interaction with familiar and unfamiliar peers
SAFE — genuine choice over participation and pace
GROW — contributing positive messages to a shared community space

What We Did
Children explored sleep and the things that can help our bodies and minds prepare for rest.
Through conversation and practical activities, children considered their own routines and created personalised sleep kits, choosing strategies and resources they felt could be useful to them.
What We Saw
Children engaged confidently in conversations about sleep, sharing their own experiences, routines and ideas.
Creating the sleep kits gave children an active role in choosing strategies that felt useful to them, turning the learning into something practical and personal.
We were also joined by Lynsey, volunteering with us for the day, adding another pair of hands and a friendly face to support children and families throughout the activity.
Outcomes
CALM — exploring practical strategies for rest and relaxation
CREATE — making an individual sleep kit
GROW — recognising personal routines and strategies that may support sleep
CONNECT — sharing experiences and ideas in a relaxed group environment

What We Did
Dads, grandads, male carers and children worked side-by-side to build wooden bird houses, using real tools and working through a genuinely challenging construction task together.
What We Saw
The task required patience and persistence. Children kept trying when parts of the build became difficult, accepted support and problem-solved alongside their adults.
Adults helped without automatically taking over, and there was visible pride when families completed something that had required real effort.
Outcomes
CREATE — practical skills and a tangible shared achievement
CONNECT — cooperation and adult-child teamwork
GROW — resilience, problem-solving and confidence

What We Did
Children spent time together in our Calm Zone Club, choosing from board games and other quieter shared activities.
The session offered a lower-energy alternative where children could play, think and spend time together without the noise or pace of more active provision.
What We Saw
Children settled into games together, explaining rules, taking turns, sharing ideas and helping one another as they played.
Rather than adults directing the activity, children collaborated naturally, negotiated decisions and kept games going together.
Outcomes
CALM — sustained engagement in lower-energy shared activities
CONNECT — cooperation, conversation and playing together
GROW — turn-taking, problem-solving and negotiating with others
SAFE — a relaxed environment where children could participate at their own pace

What We Did
We opened the yurt alongside The Lighthouse Project’s Junior Youth Club, offering a quieter choice of LEGO, games, books and creative activities alongside the higher-energy activities available outdoors.
What We Saw
Children independently chose to come into the yurt and settle into calm, shared activities.
They remained engaged in small groups, with quiet conversation and cooperative play developing naturally. Importantly, children were not directed to stay — they chose the space and the activities for themselves.
Outcomes
CALM — children actively choosing and sustaining lower-energy activity
SAFE — comfortably entering, settling and using the space
CONNECT — quiet conversation and cooperative play
CREATE — self-directed building, play and exploration

What We Did
Dads, male carers and children took on a series of STEM challenges together, using everyday materials to design, build, test and adapt their ideas.
The emphasis was on experimenting rather than finding one “correct” solution.
What We Saw
Different families approached the challenges in different ways. There was plenty of testing, problem-solving and starting again when something didn’t work.
Adults encouraged, suggested and joined in without simply completing the tasks for the children. Working side-by-side also created natural opportunities for humour, negotiation, encouragement and conversation.
Outcomes
GROW — experiencing frustration, adapting and trying again
CREATE — designing, experimenting and finding different solutions
CONNECT — adults and children tackling shared problems together
SAFE — discovering that getting something wrong did not mean failure

What We Did
Families worked side-by-side planting flowers to take home and care for.
The activity was deliberately simple and accessible, giving children and their dads or male carers something practical to do together while making choices, getting their hands dirty and chatting as they worked.
What We Saw
Adults supported children without taking over, while children took responsibility for planting and caring for something of their own.
Some children also moved between planting and other practical activities, giving families freedom to follow their interests and work at their own pace.
Outcomes
CONNECT — easy conversation while hands were busy
CREATE — making something to take home
GROW — responsibility, nurturing and independence
SAFE — freedom to participate at an individual pace

What We Did
We completed our 5m Mongolian yurt in the gardens of The Lighthouse Project, Byker, creating a dedicated space for our work with children and families.
Designed to feel different from a classroom or clinical setting, the yurt provides a warm, informal environment where children and families can feel safe, settle, create and connect.
What We Saw
Early visitors, including professionals and children, described the yurt as cosy, calm, magical and transporting, with one visitor describing it as feeling “like a cocoon”.
The feedback reflected exactly what we hoped to create: a welcoming space that feels removed from the pressures and expectations of everyday environments.
Outcomes
SAFE — a welcoming, non-clinical environment
CALM — space to settle and regulate
CREATE — room for play, making and exploration
CONNECT — a dedicated place for children and families to spend time together

What We Did
At Walker WOW Week, children explored the idea of “filling your cup” — recognising the people, activities and experiences that help them feel happy, calm and supported.
Children personalised their own cups and took part in playful wellbeing activities, including simple breathing and balloon activities.
What We Saw
Children enthusiastically personalised their cups, making individual choices and proudly sharing their finished designs.
Combining creativity with simple regulation activities made conversations about wellbeing accessible and easy to join in within a busy community event.
Outcomes
CALM — exploring simple ways to slow down and regulate
CREATE — individuality and self-expression through making
CONNECT — conversations about the people and experiences that support us
GROW — beginning to recognise personal wellbeing strategies

What We Did
For our second day at Walker WOW Week, children created their own Worry Monsters and continued exploring the things that help to “fill their cup”.
Making and decorating gave children playful ways to explore worries, identify sources of support and express their own ideas.
What We Saw
Children were keen to show and talk about their Worry Monsters, with very different characters and personalities emerging through their designs.
A young volunteer also took an active role supporting younger participants. Children responded particularly well to being helped by another child, while our volunteer grew in confidence throughout the activity.
Outcomes
CREATE — expressing ideas and feelings through imaginative making
CONNECT — creating and talking alongside other children
SAFE — exploring worries in an indirect, age-appropriate way
GROW — confidence, independence and peer leadership

What We Did
We launched our Dads & Kids programme with a relaxed LEGO building session, bringing dads, male carers and children together around a shared activity, followed by pizza.
Families could follow instructions or create their own designs, giving adults and children an easy way to work, talk and play alongside one another.
What We Saw
Adults became actively involved rather than simply supervising. Ideas, pieces and problem-solving were shared around the table, while children confidently asked for help, contributed their own ideas and took the lead within their builds.
The activity created natural interaction between adults and children without putting pressure on anyone to talk.
Outcomes
CONNECT — positive adult-child interaction through shared activity
CREATE — imagination, choice and collaborative building
GROW — problem-solving, confidence and children taking the lead
SAFE — relaxed time together without expectation or pressure

What We Did
Dads, male carers and children decorated cakes together, sharing icing, toppings and plenty of creative freedom.
There was no “right” finished product: families could experiment, make decisions together and create something entirely their own.
What We Saw
Adults and children worked side-by-side, sharing decisions, helping one another and enjoying playful moments together.
The activity created easy opportunities for conversation, cooperation and affection without making any of those things the explicit task.
Outcomes
CONNECT — shared activity and positive adult-child interaction
CREATE — choice, experimentation and self-expression
SAFE — relaxed, playful interaction with trusted adults
GROW — trying new skills and making decisions together

What We Did
Across two SELF Creative Studio sessions, children were given space to draw, write, doodle and create freely, with no expectation that everyone would make the same thing.
Children could work independently or alongside others, talk when they wanted to and follow their own interests and ideas.
What We Saw
Children quickly developed their own ways of using the space. Some became deeply absorbed in drawing and writing, while conversation and laughter developed naturally around the table.
Across both sessions, children moved comfortably between quiet individual focus and connection with the group, without pressure to participate in one particular way.
Outcomes
CREATE — freedom to express individual ideas through drawing and writing
CALM — sustained attention and self-directed activity
CONNECT — relaxed conversation and peer interaction
SAFE — choice over how, when and alongside whom to participate

What We Did
Children and adults from a range of community groups and schools were invited to design and personalise their own “Wey Eye” LEGO figure, representing identity, interests, culture and individuality.
Participants used colour, symbols and character design to express who they are, with each figure contributing to a wider collection that reflects the diversity and voice of the local community.
The collection was brought together as a shared exhibition piece, giving visibility to individual voices and creating a collective representation of the community.
A diverse and highly individual collection of figures, each reflecting personal identity and lived experience.
The combined display created a powerful visual representation of community voice, with participants showing pride in their contributions and interest in the work of others.

What We Did
We delivered a structured workshop supporting children and young people to understand and manage exam-related stress using simple, accessible psychoeducation and practical regulation strategies.
Participants were introduced to how the brain and nervous system respond under pressure, alongside tools to support calm focus, memory and confidence.
Resources were designed to be child-friendly and were used within the session and taken away to support continued use at home and in school.
Participants were able to explain key concepts (e.g. fight/flight response) and apply calming strategies during the session.
Children engaged positively with the content, showing interest in understanding how their brain works and applying strategies to manage stress.
Many demonstrated increased confidence and willingness to participate when discussing exam or performance situations.

What We Did
We delivered a structured HAF session focused on helping children recognise, name and understand feelings of dysregulation.
Children were introduced to simple, accessible language around emotions and body responses, alongside practical strategies to support calming and self-regulation.
Activities were designed to be engaging and hands-on, allowing children to explore emotional experiences in a safe, supported environment.
Children were able to begin linking physical sensations with emotional states and identify strategies to help themselves.
Children engaged positively with the session, showing growing confidence in naming emotions and using simple regulation strategies.
The group environment supported openness, with children beginning to share experiences and respond to each other with reassurance.

What We Did
Children were supported to develop a simple, portable breathing tool to practise paced breathing and support regulation under stress.
Using a structured visual pathway, the board guides slow, controlled breathing, helping children regulate their nervous system in a way that is accessible, repeatable and easy to use independently.
The tool was personalised to increase engagement and ownership, encouraging children to use it beyond the session.
Children were able to use the board to slow their breathing and support calm during the session.
Children engaged fully with the tool, demonstrating focus and calm while using it, and showed understanding of how it could support them when feeling overwhelmed.

What We Did
We developed and shared a structured programme of activities for Children’s Mental Health Week, supporting local community groups to deliver consistent, accessible wellbeing sessions for children and families.
The scheme of work provided simple, evidence-informed activities linked to our Better Together framework (Safe · Calm · Create · Connect · Grow), enabling partners to deliver meaningful support without requiring specialist training.
Multiple groups were able to deliver sessions independently using the programme.
Community partners engaged positively with the materials, using them flexibly to support children’s wellbeing and creating wider access to early support during Children’s Mental Health Week.

What We Did
We delivered a structured session supporting children and young people to reflect on their use of social media, gaming and digital devices.
Through guided discussion and self-assessment, participants explored patterns of use, emotional responses and the impact of screen time on sleep, relationships and wellbeing.
The session introduced simple, practical strategies to support balance, self-awareness and healthier digital habits.
Children were able to recognise both positive and negative impacts of their digital use and consider changes.
Participants engaged openly in discussion, showing honesty in reflecting on their habits and increasing awareness of how device use affects their wellbeing and relationships.

What We Did
Children were supported to explore and externalise worries through structured, hands-on activity using symbolic objects.
Each child created a Worry Bracelet to hold their thoughts and selected a Worry Star as a personal comfort object, providing a contained way to manage worries beyond the session.
The activity was shared alongside trusted adults, modelling that worries can be acknowledged and held safely within relationships.
All children remained engaged throughout the session, with increased participation observed as the activity progressed.
“I made mine for my dreams.” – Child, age 9
“This is tremendous work.” – Mark Squires, Trustee, The Lighthouse Project

What We Did
Children were supported to reflect on positive relationships and experiences through the use of symbolic objects (“Warm Fuzzies”).
Using simple prompts, they identified moments of kindness, joy or connection and chose whether to keep or give their object, encouraging emotional expression, decision-making and social interaction in a calm, structured way.
All children engaged with the activity, with increased confidence observed in sharing and interaction.
“I gave mine to my sister because she let me go first.” – Child, age 7
“My Mam makes me happiest and it’s for her.” – Child, age 9

What We Did
Children contributed individual pieces to a shared artwork without seeing the final outcome in advance.
As the session progressed, they worked together to place their pieces, revealing a collective image that required cooperation, trust and shared effort.
All children remained engaged, with increased collaboration and interaction as the activity developed.
“I didn’t even know him but our bits matched!” – Child, age 10
“It felt like we made something important together.” – Child, age 11

What We Did
As part of a wider wellbeing session delivered with The Lighthouse Project, children took part in a structured activity focused on contribution and collective impact.
Each child created an individual piece without knowing the final outcome, before coming together to assemble the full image, demonstrating how small actions contribute to a wider shared result.
All children engaged with the activity, with increased awareness of working as part of a group.
Children began to recognise how their individual contribution connected to others, with growing curiosity and discussion as the final piece came together.

What We Did
Children were supported to develop awareness of their physical and emotional state through structured relaxation techniques, including progressive muscle relaxation and simple breathwork.
The session provided a calm, predictable environment where children could notice, release and regulate physical tension at their own pace.
Most children were able to engage in stillness for sustained periods, with visible reduction in restlessness.
“It was the best bit of the whole night.” – Child
Children described feeling “calm,” “sleepy” and “floaty.”

What We Did
Children and young people were supported to express thoughts, feelings and experiences through structured creative writing, contributing original pieces to a published community poetry book.
The project provided a safe framework for expression, culminating in a shared outcome that celebrated children’s voices and creativity.
26 children and young people contributed as published authors, with sustained engagement throughout the project.
Children showed clear pride in seeing their work in print, sharing their writing confidently with peers, families and the wider community.

What We Did
We developed a child-friendly sleep resource, co-authored with a child, to support families in understanding sleep routines, managing bedtime worries and building calm, consistent habits.
The resource is used alongside sensory sleep sessions, providing a structured, accessible tool that children and families can return to at home.
Families were able to apply strategies at home, supporting improved routines and increased confidence around sleep.
Families reported improved bedtime routines and greater confidence in supporting sleep in calm, predictable ways.

What We Did
We delivered a community raffle as part of our engagement strategy to raise awareness of early intervention support and connect families, local organisations and partners around children’s and family wellbeing.
Local businesses and community members contributed prizes, creating a shared, low-pressure entry point for engagement and conversation.
High levels of participation were observed, with strong community involvement and contribution.
Strong community engagement, with families and partners actively participating and engaging in conversations about wellbeing support.
A clear sense of shared ownership and pride was evident across the activity.

What We Did
Children and adults were supported to reflect on experiences, values and advice through a structured writing activity focused on intergenerational voice.
Participants created messages for the younger generation of Byker, providing a safe and accessible way to share thoughts, humour and lived experience, with contributions displayed publicly to reinforce value and visibility.
Strong participation was observed across age groups, with sustained engagement and willingness to share.
Participants engaged thoughtfully with the prompts, often pausing to reflect before writing, with visible enjoyment and openness throughout the activity.

What We Did
Children were supported to develop practical self-regulation strategies using a structured “Take Five” prompt.
Each finger represented a simple grounding or calming focus (e.g. breath, trusted people, strengths), creating an accessible framework children could personalise and use independently when feeling overwhelmed.
Children were able to refer back to their tool independently during the session, demonstrating early self-regulation.
Children engaged thoughtfully, taking time to personalise their tool and returning to it as a calming prompt when needed.

What We Did
Children were supported to reflect on their identity, relationships and sources of happiness through a structured “All About Me” booklet.
Using simple prompts, they explored what matters to them in a way that felt safe and manageable, with choice around how much they shared.
All children engaged with the task, with increased confidence observed as they shared their work.
Children took time to reflect on their responses, showing care and pride in their booklets and increased willingness to share with others.

What We Did
Adults were supported to use gentle journalling as a structured tool for reflection, emotional processing and self-awareness.
Simple prompts encouraged participants to explore thoughts and feelings without pressure, creating a safe and manageable way to engage with internal experiences.
All participants engaged with the process, with increased confidence in sharing reflections as the session progressed.
Participants engaged quietly and attentively, pausing to reflect before writing, and demonstrated increased openness and confidence during discussion.
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