This Wigan student is educating young people about mental health - here's how

Amy Madden, 21, founded All Ears, a mental health awareness project, in memory of her best friend Aleysha Rothwell, who took her own life in 2014 when she was in high school.

In founding All Ears, Amy’s aim was to help anyone else in a similar situation so that they can feel supported when looking for help.

“We want to inspire and educate. To start the conversation about mental health and to show those in school, that it is nothing to be ashamed of,” the All Ears website said, adding: “We at

All Ears believe that awareness is key, and children shouldn’t go without the essential information about mental health, just because the funding isn’t available yet.”

Amy, who is studying counselling and psychotherapy at Edge Hill University, has this week been visiting Wigan primary schools to promote the importance of reaching out to someone if they feel they need support with their mental health.

She said: “Originally, I created All Ears so that I could go into High Schools and offer mental health awareness presentations free of charge.

“I have done this in the Deanery and it was so rewarding - I have since had messages from the children about how much it helped them to speak about their emotions, now that they know they aren’t alone.

“Amazingly, with this week being Children’s mental health week, I have also had the privilege of working in Wood Fold Primary School. I took in ‘Listening Lenny’, a teddy to help them engage with their feelings and use if they are too shy to speak to adults about their emotions yet. The children then had pictures with Lenny at the end.”

The school, in Standish, welcomed Amy to speak to its pupils as part of its wellbeing project - a week of exciting activities to teach its pupils the importance of positive mental health.

The school has drafted in the likes of Wigan Warriors, charity volunteers and even therapy dogs to stimulate their minds, teach them how to identify signs of poor mental health, and how to speak out if they need help.

Tomorrow, Amy will be continuing her good work with a visit to West Lancashire Community High School.

She said: “This is a special needs school and so as you can see, the work we are doing is very beneficial to anyone.”

The team behind All Ears offers presentations to schools across the region, which can be adapted to fit the needs of each year group.

They also offer teaching staff sessions on how to deliver the presentations themselves, should they prefer to do so.

All Ears gives schools the chance to collaborate on mental health awareness projects,provide educational resources and develop techniques to better communicate with their pupils.

Plans are also in place to provide counselling and therapy services in the future, once its small team have achieved their relevant qualifications. This includes child and family counselling, coping adjustments, anger and stress management sessions, and group therapy.

To find out more about All Ears, visit allearsmha.com