A new course has been launched for young people concerned about their mental health.

Maidstone and Mid Kent Mind is introducing Mindfulness and Me for those aged between 11 and 18.

Operations manager James Walker said the following: “Mindfulness is an excellent way a person can help manage their emotional state whilst preventing their wellbeing becoming too negative.

"This course will be a great resource for young people that do not have a mental health disorder but are worried that they may be heading towards mental ill health. The course will help them better understand how they can manage their daily life – building their resilience.”

According to the Mental Health Foundation a fifth of adolescents experience a mental health problem each year.

Sam Curran, wellbeing worker at Maidstone and Mid Kent Mind, had this to say about developing the new programme: "I’ve always felt that a mindfulness course would be a beneficial way of teaching people coping skills and strategies to prevent poor mental health.

"There are lots of studies out there which shows that incorporating these skills early can be beneficial for building resilience in later life, so it felt right to develop this programme with a young person focus."

The programme will be delivered across five weeks, with each one-hour session focussing on different elements of mindfulness. The overall aim of the course is to help young people to reflect upon and accept their thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations – allowing them to be better aware of these areas and how they may change throughout their lives.

Spaces will be limited to ensure individuals gain the most from their sessions.

If you, or someone you know may be interested, contact mindhelp@mmkmind.org.uk or phone 01622 692383.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone.