The Power of Small Changes

Welcome to “The Power of Small Changes” campaign page, where you’ll find lots of information about emotional wellbeing and how small changes to your day can make a big difference to how you feel.

Emotional wellbeing is all about feeling good and being able to handle the challenges life throws at us. When we’re not feeling good it can sometimes feel like a big mountain to climb to feel better, but it doesn’t have to!

Doing small things can have a huge impact on your mood.

You can take part in ‘The Power of Small Changes’ challenge and join us on a journey to better emotional wellbeing.

Information for young people

The Power of Small Changes Challenge

Join our ‘Power of Small Changes’ challenge, designed for you to explore new activities that can boost your emotional wellbeing and give you a chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher!

We are hosting a competition on our Instagram (@justtalkherts). Every day we will be sharing a new task for you to try. Each time you participate you’re in with the chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher. Imagine using your voucher to further explore a new hobby or emotional wellbeing activity discovered during the challenge!

To enter, each time you take part, share your experience with us on social media, by posting a picture or video, and tagging @justtalkherts and using #PowerofSmallChanges. Each post counts as a separate entry!

Don’t have social media? No problem! Email your photo/video to justtalk@hertfordshire.gov.uk to be entered.

Please note that the closing date is 18 March.

View the full challenge here

Five Ways to Wellbeing

Research shows that there are simple actions that help us to feel good: Connect, be active, keep learning, take notice and give. They’re called the Five Ways to Wellbeing, and they form the foundation of the challenge above!

Doing these five things as much as you can is a great way to look after your emotional wellbeing.

Find out more about wellbeing and easy ways to improve your mood:

For primary school age

For secondary school age

Poetry competition

We are running our Just Talk poetry competition again this spring! After such success in 2022 with hundreds of entries from young people across Hertfordshire, we are looking forward to seeing your creativity this year.

This competition, which is open to any Hertfordshire Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 aged young person, will run from Monday 11 March until Thursday 28 March 2024, with the theme ‘The Power of Small’.

Full details of the competition and how to enter are available here.

Early help

If you’re experiencing difficulties, feelings of anxiety or low mood, or while you are adjusting to changes in life you could talk to your parent, carer, teacher or Mental Health Lead at your school, or your GP. There are also lots of services in Hertfordshire offering support.

Information on where to find support

Emotional help at a glance (PDF 94KB) for young people in Hertfordshire.

Just Talk listens to challenges young people face and has information to help all year round.

We create tools and resources in response to your concerns, and in collaboration with young people, to make sure they suit your needs.

Find advice and support for your worries

Information for parents and carers

The Power of Small Changes Families Challenge

Join our ‘Power of Small Changes’ challenge, designed for your family to explore new activities that can support emotional wellbeing, strengthen connections with loved ones and give you a chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher!

We are hosting a competition on our Facebook (Just Talk Herts). Every day we will be sharing a new task for families to try. Each time you participate you’re in with the chance to win a £50 Amazon voucher. Imagine using your voucher to further explore a new emotional wellbeing activity discovered during the challenge!

To enter, each time you take part, share your family’s experience with us on social media, by posting a picture or video, and tagging Just Talk Herts and using #PowerofSmallChanges. Each post counts as a separate entry!

Don’t have social media? No problem! Email your photo/video to justtalk@hertfordshire.gov.uk to be entered.

Please note that the closing date is 18 March.

View the full challenge here.

Five Ways to Wellbeing

Doing these five things as much as you can is a great way to look after your emotional wellbeing.

Encourage your child find out more about wellbeing and easy ways to improve their mood:

For primary school ages

For secondary school ages

Support for parents/carers

If your child is feeling low, anxious, or generally struggling, there are lots of services available to help, all year round.

Information on where to get help

You can also find lots of information and services catered to parents and carers on our advice page.

Information for schools, colleges and other professionals working with young people

The Power of Small Changes primary schools challenge

Join our ‘Power of Small Changes’ challenge, designed for children to explore new activities that can support emotional wellbeing and strengthen connections with one another.

This challenge has been created for you to do together with your class, talking through, and completing the individual challenges and sharing together.

Print this chart and put it up in the classroom to work your way through each daily challenge. These can be done in ways that best suit your setting for example as conversations, writing elements on the board or show and tell.

Five Ways to Wellbeing

Doing these five things as much as you can is a great way to look after your emotional wellbeing.

Toolkit for schools and professionals

Encourage children and young people to find out more about wellbeing and easy ways to improve their mood through the e-learning modules below.

For primary school age

For secondary school age

Poetry competition

We are running our Just Talk poetry competition again this spring! After such success in 2022 with over 21 schools across Hertfordshire getting involved, we are looking forward to seeing the creativity of your students again.

This year’s competition, which is open to any Hertfordshire Key stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 student, will run from Monday 11 March until Thursday 28 March 2024, with the theme ‘The Power of Small’.

Full details of the competition and how to enter are available here.

Social media toolkit

Please help us to promote The Power of Small Changes using the social media toolkit for partners, available here.