Having heard rumours of a double decker bus providing mental health support to schools in the Bath and Wiltshire area, the team at Abbeyfield School in Chippenham decided to get in touch with the charity I Can & I Am who run the bus.
They were delighted when they heard that they were able to book a two week visit, free of charge and enable all pupils from years 7 through to 10 to experience time on board.
The bus is operated by the team at the Bath based charity I Can & I Am which visits schools to deliver vital messages to pupils and staff about how to maintain good mental health and improve self-esteem. All visits to state schools are provided entirely free of charge due to the generous sponsorship and donors to the charity.
I Can & I Am was set up by James Shone, a pastoral teacher who was offered the job as headteacher at Monkton Prep School in Bath in 2012. His career was abruptly ended when a routine medical picked up a large brain tumour wrapped around his brain stem. The resulting surgery and two strokes left him blind and with much reduced physical capabilities.
After a couple of years of convalescence, James was determined to move forward, driven by his passion for seeing young people fulfil their potential. He started delivering talks in schools, based around his own challenges but with the underlying message that we all have qualities within us that will allow us to flourish in life. He now visits hundreds of schools every year, sharing his messages with pupils, parents and staff to great acclaim.
The bus has a fully fitted kitchen downstairs where pupils begin their time by cooking pizza – an activity that stimulates a sense of togetherness and creativity and is achievable by all. Free, tasty food is always a winner!
Small group workshops then follow in the comfortable seating area on the converted top deck of the bus and are run by the I Can & I Am facilitators.
“The messages are rooted in simplicity and use the analogy of a balloon,” explains James Shone, founder of I Can & I Am. “Imagine everyone has a balloon of self-belief inside them. When it’s full, life tends to be good, we bounce back from setbacks and we feel like we have purpose. When it’s deflated, life becomes a struggle, things we may have found easy become difficult, and it becomes hard to find hope.”
Above all, everything that takes place on the bus is underpinned by fun, positivity, empathy and passion for what the charity does. The team is experienced and empathetic professionals who understand young people and how life can sometimes be difficult. Nutty the dog is often present on board the bus, one of many touches contributing to the space feeling different from school, accommodating and friendly.
“The workshops on the top deck of the bus enable pupils to understand some simple, achievable ways to keep their balloons of self-belief inflated,” adds Anthony Dutton, Operations Manager at I Can & I Am. “These are based around five key points which help the children see how to look at things they enjoy to improve their resilience, recognise their own qualities and those of the people around them, and develop how they can be more positive about who they are.”
The icing on the cake for one pupil at Abbeyfield school was to be crowned the 10,000th visitor on board the I Can & I Am bus. They received a certificate, chocolates and a copy of James Shone’s book.
“This remarkable achievement of working with so many young people is coupled by the statistic that over 75% of visitors to the bus feel an improvement in their self-esteem following a visit,” added Anthony, clearly proud of the remarkable achievement.
For more information and to book a visit from the I Can & I Am bus, email email hidden; JavaScript is required or visit www.icanandiam.com for further details.