10:38, 11 October 2024
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
“Seeing kids so much keeps them in the forefront of my mind, and so, these young individuals feel very precious to me, and they are to Place2be.” says Rhys Stephenson.
The children’s television presenter and ambassador for Place2Be recently brought Smiley News along for a visit to the charity.
Working alongside networks such as CBBC, Rhys is a role model for children and young people while caring greatly about their mental wellbeing and safety.
“Children are such a big part of my career [...] so I get to see first hand how children are living in the UK. What affects them, what’s upsetting them, what excites them.” he says, “And being with Place2Be allows me to learn, as well, a lot about the dangers that are facing them.”
For over three decades, Place2Be has been a vital resource in schools, offering counselling, support, and educational resources to foster a healthy environment for students. Known for hosting the annual Children’s Mental Health Week, which encourages open discussions about mental health through various support services, including one-to-one counselling, group interventions and school training.
While at Place2Be, Rhys speaks to Jacqui Segal, Place2Be’s Director of Fundraising, Communications and Marketing who importantly notes that Place2Be “also supports the adults around the child as well, so the parents, the teachers, building understanding and confidence so that more children and young people have someone to turn to.”
Rhys shares that “listening” is the most important aspect of the work Place2Be does, before going on to explain that “just giving children an ear and letting them know their voice is important.
“As a kid, you can easily grow up thinking ‘okay, I’m supposed to keep quiet. What I have to say isn’t really of any value right now until I get to a certain age.’ But, the minute you learn to talk, I think your voice has value.”
During his visit, Rhys Stevenson can be seen sporting a special collaboration T-shirt. In celebration of World Mental Health Day, SmileyWorld and Next have joined forces with Place2Be to launch a Matchmaker for Good initiative. This collaboration features a collection of T-shirts available exclusively online at Next, with all profits directed towards supporting the mental health of children and young people.
The T-shirts, available in both kids' and adult sizes, feature a SmileyWorld icon alongside the uplifting message, “Be Yourself, Keep It Real.” This aligns with SmileyWorld's long-standing mission to promote positivity and emotional expression.
This partnership is part of Smiley Movement’s Matchmaker for Good initiative, which enables brands to collaborate with charities, amplifying their impact and reach.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Place2Be. This is a national charity that delivers school-based mental health support reaching 243,000 children and young people in the UK. Learn more here.
Sane. This charity seeks to improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness, they raise awareness, provide support and conduct research to better mental health services. Find out more here.
Active Minds. This nonprofit organisation is based in the US and is dedicated to mental health, especially among young adults, focusing on interaction. Support them here.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health And Wellbeing, Partnerships For The Goals.
