On Monday hundreds of Norfolk teenagers gathered at Norwich School to talk about body image, social media and self-confidence at a workshop designed to boost their wellbeing.

Almost 500 13 to 14-year old pupils took part in the day, led by the Self Esteem Team, a movement founded by Natasha Devon, Nadia Mendoza and Grace Barrett, to educate pupils, teachers and parents about mental health and body image. Norwich School were joined by Jane Austen College, Hobart High School and Framingham Earl High School.

Over the day the Self Esteem Team covered issues including exam stress, body image and self-esteem in three different workshops held at the Cathedral and in school buildings.

Natasha, a team cofounder who visited Norwich School earlier in the year, said “All of us have experience of mental illness and I didn’t really feel like my mental health teaching at school got it right. It didn’t focus on how it starts and what leads to it, and we focus on the here and now and what’s happening in pupils’ lives.”

Nicola Hill, event organiser, added “Mental health is such a key issue for young people in 21st century, especially with the impact that social media has. It very much affects people from all backgrounds and we wanted to provide a collaborative event for schools around the region. [The workshop] was about ensuring that information from experts is heard and that we provide practical strategies for coping with issues.”