YOUNGSTERS from two West Fife schools had the chance to focus on mental health and well being at a special festival.

Groups from Duloch Primary and Inverkeithing High were among over 100 people from schools, charities and Fife Council who attended the Kitbag Festival in Glenrothes.

Co-hosted by International Futures Forum (IFF) and Our Minds Matter, the event provided an opportunity to share ideas and experiences in using the Kitbag resource.

The initiative was developed by IFF and aims to create a space to become calm, share feelings and grow quality relationships. It has been used in schools, family and youth agencies across Fife for many years with positive benefits in terms of behaviours, emotional wellbeing and building friendship.

One young person attending the event commented: “I’ve used Kitbag at home to talk about feelings with my dad when he’s away from home”.

Another said: “I’ve learnt lots of skills from Kitbag and to give things a go.”

Louise Stean from Our Minds Matter explained: “As an Education Development Officer supporting mental health and emotional wellbeing, Kitbag is a fantastic resource which can be used one-to-one with pupils, in small groups, or with a whole class to support emotional literacy, empathy and communication.

International Futures Forum's Margaret Hannah added: “This Kitbag Festival marks a turning point in the journey we have been on with people sharing ideas and experiences of using Kitbag across many different settings.

"We can now see a generation of children and young people are growing up in Fife with the listening, empathy and emotional skills to become good friends, partners, better parents and active citizens in the future.”

In November last year, the Press reported that Duloch Primary had become the first school in Dunfermline to become a certified Kitbag School.

The accolade followed seven years' of work from staff and pupils to embed Kitbag across the school to help with emotional wellbeing.

The multi-sensory resource helps people to be calm, self-regulate emotions, express themselves and communicate with others in safe and easy ways.