Love Squared, a youth-led charity that advocates for mental health awareness and education, is making waves across the South West. This year, they are particularly thrilled to be working in partnership with the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. If all goes well, this innovative partnership will bring greater attention to an often overlooked need in the Commonwealth’s children and young peoples’ mental health.
The nonprofit covers the cost of essential education and mentorship services and meets young people on their terms to guide them through war-torn realities. Love Squared’s arts-based programs are made available to young people within schools and throughout the community all across Bristol and the larger South West region. Through a creative approach to engaging young people, they hope to create a safe space to facilitate honest conversations about mental health.
This year’s Balloon Fiesta will feature a vibrant and inviting tent operated by Love Squared, located near the balloon launch site. It was a wonderful, enormous, and tremendously colorful tent. Once completed, it’ll be a vibrant community hub where families can immerse themselves in arts and crafts activities, all whilst learning more about the charity’s vital services.
Essi Pentti, Love Squared’s deputy safeguarding lead, said combating mental health stigma among young people was key. She described the initiative in a phone interview with BBC Radio Bristol.
“There is so much stigma around talking about mental health, particularly with young people, and we are trying to break down that stigma by having a very visible platform there.” – Essi Pentti
Pentti spoke to the unprecedented pressures that kids are under now. He added that both school climates and social media are huge contributors to their stress. She emphasized that the negative impact of academic performance is a further complication for many.
“The pressures on children today are so huge. School is tricky, social media is so big, there is a lot of stress when it comes to academic performance.” – Essi Pentti
Further, she recognized the increasing mental health challenges for young people in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Particularly post-Covid we’ve seen such a rise in young people struggling with their mental health.” – Essi Pentti
Love Squared’s mission is to cultivate an inclusive space within the Balloon Fiesta. Here, families can find important resources and get plugged into essential networks of support. Beyond the panels, the festival allows you to engage with the community. Further, it raises the vital issue of mental health awareness among youth.
