A collection of bright young students from Taverham High School have been honoured as ChatHealth Ambassadors by the NHS Norfolk Children & Young People’s Services. Fourteen students from year ten received an award for their outstanding participation in promoting a text messaging for young people aged 13 -19 called ChatHealth.

Each of the students in the ELF team (everyone’s listening friend) from Taverham High School volunteered to be a ChatHealth Ambassador over the last academic year to raise awareness of the service. Also to highlight some of the most common topics discussed including: emotional health, relationship advice, healthy eating, smoking cessation, bullying and exam stress.

The ChatHealth Ambassadors at Taverham High School spoke about ChatHealth and their experience as ambassadors over the past year:

“We took ChatHealth round the year 9 and year 10 forms in the school. We gave a little presentation to show them the animation and talked about when and how they could contact ChatHealth. We also handed out lots of ChatHealth cards and put up pull tab posters in each of the form rooms. We’ve already had feedback from teachers telling us that lots of students have taken the pull tabs with the ChatHe

alth number on.”

“ChatHealth has brought getting help at school into the modern day. Being able to just text a number is really normal now, because everyone has a phone. It makes it so easy, and allows you to talk to someone in the comfort of your home without having to go anywhere”

“Before ChatHealth we wouldn’t have known how to get help without going and speaking to someone at school. Which puts people off, because you then have to tell someone at school about a problem face to face.  Whereas with ChatHealth it’s just there on a screen, so it’s much easier to be open.”

The ChatHealth Ambassador scheme was created in partnership by Taverham High School and Norfolk Children and Young People’s Services to get young people engaged their own health and wellbeing.

Glynis Killington. Key Stage 3 Pastoral Student Support, Taverham High School stated:

“Working with other agencies is something that we embrace at Taverham High School. The ELF Team (Everyone’s Listening Friend) is our Peer Support Project. Part of the training to become an ELF has included students becoming a ChatHealth Ambassador. And over last year the ELF Team has done a fantastic job running ChatHealth promotional sessions every term. Their efforts have really helped to support the service within our school community.”

Sian Larrington Head of Service, Norfolk Children and Young People’s Services said:

“We are so thankful to our ChatHealth Ambassadors from Taverham High School. It’s so important to get our young people involved in promoting a service designed for them. Thanks to the example set by these brilliant and passionate students, we look to continue developing our promotional campaigns and enlisting more young people to be ChatHealth ambassadors. Ultimately we want to ensure all young people in Norfolk know who to text for help.”

To access ChatHealth all users have to do is text 07480 635 060 and a conversation will begin. Norfolk Children and Young People’s Services are now looking for more schools to get involved in the ambassadors scheme and provide schools with lots of promotion materials to advertise the service to students. To get involved schools should contact them on 0300 300 0123.