Day 7 What's Up Challenge - Check in on a friend and ask if they're okay!

Why is this good for your emotional health and wellbeing?

Checking in on how friends are doing, helps us to stay connected, to share our worries and to support each other during troubled times.
Covid lockdown made us appreciate the friendships in our lives much more. It made us see the importance of reaching out to reconnect and mend old friendships.

 How to complete this challenge?

Ask a friend if they’re okay, by following these simple steps:

1. Check-in on a friend – This can be in person or by text.
2. Listen to them without interrupting them – Be clear that you won’t share what they have said to anyone unless they want you to.
3. Ask questions and offer to go with them to find support.

Check out these tips  Supporting a friend with their mental health

The below YouTube video is from an old Budweiser advert back in the 90’s (done way before smartphones and Zoom) but is a great reminder that checking how a mate is doing doesn’t need to be difficult – a simple ‘What’s Up’ will work…

Don’t know who to talk to?

If you feel you don’t have anybody to talk to, you can get support from:

• Kooth (Friendly counselling and live forums to talk to others experiencing similar situations as you.) 
• 4YP   
• Young Minds have a useful ‘Need to Talk’ section on their website to help you talk about a problem.

How Well Do You Know Your Friend?

How much do you know about your friend?
Imagine you’re a reporter for your local newspaper and ask a friend if you can interview them to learn more about them. This is a good way to build your friendship and find out how you can support each other when something is up.