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Free tickets can be booked now for the conference, which takes place at Wolverhampton Racecourse on Tuesday 3 October.
Aimed at teachers, health professionals and voluntary sector staff who work with children and young people, it will focus on how they can help young people improve their resilience and emotional wellbeing and avoid developing mental health issues.
Councillor Val Gibson, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "The HeadStart Wolverhampton conference promises to be an amazing free event and offers a golden opportunity for teachers, health professionals and voluntary sector staff to contribute to the mental health debate.
"We are particularly delighted that keynote speakers of the calibre of Ruby Wax OBE, Paul McGee and Dr Pooky Knightsmith will be joining us on the day, making this event a must for anyone who works with children and young people.
"We hope it will deliver our anti stigma agenda while also infecting those present with our determination to improve the emotional wellbeing and resilience of children and young people. We want frontline professionals to take the learning and innovative ideas being talked about at the conference back into their work with local children and young people who in turn will benefit."
She added: "HeadStart Wolverhampton wants as many local educational, health and voluntary sector workers as possible to be able to participate in this great event and, following approval from Big Lottery, they are delighted to announce that all conference tickets are now free.
"Given the incredible line-up of speakers, workshops and other attractions, this is an opportunity not to be missed and I would encourage people to book their places as soon possible to avoid disappointment."
The top-class line-up of guest speakers promises a mix of academic expertise, accessible advice and real life experience. Ruby Wax OBE has used her own experiences of depression to break down the stigma associated with discussing mental health issues, Paul McGee developed the SUMO (Stop, Understand, Move On) approach to resilience, and Dr Pooky Knightsmith is a respected mental health ambassador, educator and director at the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust.
The varied conference programme, developed by HeadStart Wolverhampton in partnership with the University of Wolverhampton, the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, Young Minds and Time to Change, will also feature a market place and six themed workshops, and will conclude with a community showcase giving delegates the chance to meet some of the programme's young people.
Free places for the conference can be booked now by visiting Type=links;Linkid=9548;Title=HeadStart;Target=_blank;.
HeadStart Wolverhampton, funded through The Big Lottery Fund, is a "test and learn" programme designed to improve the resilience and emotional well-being of children and young people aged 10 to 16 by giving them the skills they need to cope with life's challenges. To find out more about HeadStart, please visit Type=links;Linkid=6584;Title=HeadStart;Target=_blank;, follow @headstartfm on Twitter or log on to Type=links;Linkid=7788;Title=Facebook;Target=_blank;.
- released: Monday 4 September, 2017