The Neil Armstrong Public Institute in Valdemoro, Madrid, is the only center in Spain that offers emotional therapies with horses to students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other vulnerable children. This innovative initiative, completely free, allows students, selected by their tutors and supervised by the institute’s psychologist, to attend a horse riding session every week. The tailor-made sessions seek not only to improve emotional management and conflict resolution, but also to use relaxation techniques based on the movement and body heat of the horse. Families also undergo therapy in the form of support by sharing their experiences with other parents in similar situations.
The institute’s psychologist, who attends the center three times a week, also offers workshops to manage exam anxiety with keys to relax and cope better. Other projects include preventing toxic relationships, by teaching young people to identify and manage these situations during their first interpersonal experiences, with the aim of avoiding major problems in the future.
As in the case of Neil Armstrong, the mental health of young people has become a growing concern in our society. 70% of adult psychopathologies appear for the first time in childhood and adolescence, which highlights the importance of early intervention in the first stages of these mental illnesses. The call to action is immediate, according to the Atalaya Foundation in its report Concerns, worries and mental health of young people in Spain
This analysis, which collects responses from 2,002 young people between 15 and 29 years old, reveals that 52.3% of those questioned suffer from moderate or severe symptoms linked to anxiety. Additionally, more than half of participants reported difficulties associated with low mood, indicating a worrying increase in depression symptoms. Another alarming fact is that 143 young people, or 1.5%, are at serious risk of suicidal behavior.
In this context, it is essential to identify the concerns of young people in order to act effectively and to do this, some experts argue, the role of the teacher is fundamental. “Teachers must witness the reality because in educational centers there are young people who bully and others who withdraw into themselves,” explains Javier Urra, doctor in psychology and health sciences.
Concerns about this issue are universal. Internationally, countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Norway and Finland have implemented models of emotional support, known as Headspaceto resolve these problems. In Spain, efforts like that of IES Neil Armstrong are not isolated. A few days ago, the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports awarded 30 centers across the country for their commitment to emotional well-being.
These are schools that carry out various actions to improve the mental health and well-being of their students, such as discussion tables, meetings, activities to integrate children with the most socialization problems into the group or designate student mediators so that among peers they can try to resolve problems that may arise. “Through music, care and enjoyment of nature, play and other tools, the award-winning projects work on aspects such as emotional management, self-care, coexistence or mental health of their students, many of whom come from socio-economically vulnerable backgrounds. environments or have gone through particularly complex situations, such as the eruption of the La Palma volcano,” explains the ministry.
Activities for everyone during “quick breaks”
Fernando de Rojas Public School, located in a popular area of Burgos, is one of the award-winning centers. This preferred school for students with motor disabilities has focused on integrative initiatives, such as the “112 Connecting Lives” project, which teaches students how to act in dangerous situations through restorative practices. Additionally, teachers receive specific training for the prevention of suicidal behavior, reinforcing the center’s commitment to the emotional well-being of its students.
In Asturias, the Maximiliano Arboleya public school received the award for its project “La tribu del Maximili”, which prioritizes the overall emotional development of students. They implement dialogue tables, daily meetings of delegates and assemblies in all primary classes. Additionally, they hold “quick breaks,” which are playground activities designed to promote inclusion for all students and ensure that no one feels left out.
In the case of Early Childhood Education, recess is more structured. Thus, every day of the week there is a game proposal: fabrics, chalk, music, stories, vehicles on the road safety education circuit painted in the yard… However, in Primary Education, the games are less directed. They have a cart that the managers take to recess with different equipment: ropes, Velcro rackets, balls, elastics, etc. They can also use the giant wheels, the ping-pong tables and the garden (the school garden coordinator teacher is usually there to do the maintenance work and there are always volunteers who like to help).
The Antonio Machado Public School in Fuenlabrada, Madrid, was also awarded for its innovative proposals. It is a preferred center for ASD and deaf students, and all its posters are translated into sign language. They developed a program in which two student “helpers” from each grade mediate conflicts during recess and help prevent bullying. Additionally, this year they held a charity run to raise money for research into Usher Syndrome, a condition that affects a student and leads to progressive loss of vision and hearing. The event mobilized the entire local community.
In this school, children have the opportunity to manage their emotions by selecting on a tablet one of the six basic emotions they feel when they come home and after recess. “It gave us a lot of information because sometimes the alerts went off,” explains the director, Cristina Gutiérrez. These alerts helped identify issues early and provide immediate assistance.
There have been 30 centers awarded by Education, but more and more of them are carrying out this type of initiatives, highlighting in classrooms the importance that public administrations and educational managers give to health mentality of young people. Student wellbeing has become an urgent priority in schools and colleges, especially since the pandemic, highlighting the need for innovative programs and emotional support. “Adolescents need early intervention spaces where they can express their concerns and get help without the need for a lengthy medical referral process. “Mental health should be addressed as easily as any other wellbeing need. », said Doctor Celso Arango.
