Event Category: Mental Health Awareness Week

Understanding Addiction – The first film in our series of nine is an introduction to the concept of addiction, explaining the science behind it, presenting key words, and featuring select moments from interviews with seven people who have each been exposed to a different type of addiction. This film covers the original reasons why their addictions spiralled, the effects on the individuals and their loved ones, and how recovery saved their lives.

There are three fact sheets and three lesson plans that you can use alongside the nine addiction films, which includes the introduction film, seven interviews (each focused on a different type of addiction) and a law film. Please also read the attached guidance and teacher notes that offer support and resources for young people who may already be experiencing addiction in their lives or homes.

A film by Alastair Collinson.

If you are affected by any of the content on screen, or would like to know more, please visit the websites of the various charities and organisations who helped bring these films to life:

https://www.helpfordependency.co.uk/

https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/

https://www.stgeorgescrypt.org.uk/

http://www.ads-uk.org/thejuicebar

https://adfam.org.uk/

https://www.drugsand.me/en/

https://www.collectivevoice.org.uk/

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/drug-addiction-getting-help/

http://www.rehab-recovery.co.uk/

Understanding Addiction

Video length - 08.24

Published date - Sep 2021

Keystage(s) - 3, 4 and 5

Now I Can Breathe – It’s not your fault. You didn’t ask for it. You are not weak. You are strong.

Amina tells the story of how she was sexually harassed over several years by other pupils, and describes the work she is doing now to help teachers put a stop to sexual harassment in their schools.

A film by Adam Tyler

Created in collaboration with the Advocacy Academy

Winner of the Children’s Broadcasting category at the Sandford St Martin Awards 2020.

Winner of the Educational Film Award at the Learning On Screen Awards 2020.

Nominated for the Content for Change Award at the Children’s BAFTAs 2019.

Advice for young people about sexual harassment can be found at the following sites:

Childline

Safeline

Brook

…and teachers can find the government’s guidance about sexual harassment in schools here.

Now I Can Breathe

Video length - 08.55

Published date - Feb 2019

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Downloadable resources

Reply With A Full Stop If You Get This – Emily is a poet and a teacher, and has bipolar disorder. It’s a mental health illness that means she can feel very down or very up for no reason whatsoever. With eloquence and humour she describes how it feels, how she manages it, and how she’d like society to be more understanding and accepting of mental health disorders.

A film by Adam Tyler.

Winner of the Educational Film Award (from other organisation or individual) at the Learning On Screen Awards 2019.

Nominated in the Content for Change category at the BAFTA Children’s Awards 2018.

Advice for young people about mental health can be found at the following sites:

Reply With A Full Stop If You Get This

Video length - 10.32

Published date - May 2018

Keystage(s) - 3, 4 and 5

Downloadable resources

The Perfect Body – Sam’s life is turned upside down when he falls for the new girl at school. Convinced that she’ll never notice him unless he has the perfect body, he hires a personal trainer. A short comedy drama about love, muscles and a lot of eating.

The Perfect Body

Video length - 06.38

Published date - Apr 2017

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Downloadable resources

Brave – Lots of us face challenges that no-one else can see. Mental health problems can be hard to understand, but just being there for a friend is the first step.

Brave

Video length - 4.32

Published date - Nov 2016

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Downloadable resources

Self Harm Stories – An animation made by a group of young people, each with a story of self harm. With honesty and humour they share some advice and comfort to self harmers and their families.

Courtesy of Biomation.

Self Harm Stories

Video length - 05.01

Published date - Mar 2015

Keystage(s) - 3

Psychosis – “I’ve stopped seeing friends, I can’t trust people, I don’t know what’s real…” How does psychosis make you feel? This animation helps you to recognise the signs so you can get the help you need.

Courtesy of Biomation.

Psychosis

Video length - 01.35

Published date - Feb 2014

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Downloadable resources

Gains and Losses – What does it feel like to suffer from anorexia? Written and narrated by young people who have suffered with the eating disorder, this animation describes how it takes hold, how it feels, and how to fight back.

Courtesy of Biomation.

Gains and Losses

Video length - 06.57

Published date - Feb 2014

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Downloadable resources

The Stress Bag – Stressed out? Everyone gets stressed, but some people cope with it better than others – it’s like having a bag of stress which can only take so much, and we all have different sized bags. This film helps you to recognise the signs of stress and what to do about it.

Courtesy of Biomation.

The Stress Bag

Video length - 02.57

Published date - Feb 2014

Keystage(s) - 3

Feeling Down? – It’s normal to feel down sometimes, but if it goes on for a long time it could be depression or “low mood”. One in eight teenagers suffer from depression, so there’s no need to feel alone. Here are some pointers to help you recognise the signs and some advice on how to get better.

Courtesy of Biomation