Mind & Body
What is National Self-Care Week?
- Self-Care Week is an annual national awareness week that focuses on embedding support for self-care across communities, families and generations.
- The theme is “Mind & Body”
- The Self Care Forum has been organising Self-Care Week since 2011
Who gets involved in Self-Care Week?
- International, national, regional, local and community organisations passionate about empowering people to better look after their own physical health and mental wellbeing get involved in Self-Care Week
- Mostly traditional health organisations use the Week to communicate health messages to their audiences but a growing, diverse community is recognising the benefits of participating in Self-Care Week
- In 2023, around 1000 organisations and individuals used the awareness week to empower their audiences, reaching millions in the UK.
What messages can you promote during Self-Care Week?
- A range of health messages can be communicated during Self-Care Week including:
- taking vitamin D supplements, particularly important for those shielding and unable to go outside
- good nutrition and regular exercise to support general wellbeing and help maximize people’s immunity
- adopting positive lifestyle choices
- increasing health literacy levels in the community and in schools
- supporting mental wellness by keeping connected, ensuring a sense of perspective, and taking further steps to maintain health
- understanding how to manage minor and long term health conditions
- In addition, Self-Care Week provides an opportunity to promote better use of the NHS by signposting people to the right service relevant to their health needs – in particular, signposting people to pharmacy for accessible health care and advice.
- The Week can also be used to highlight the the need for vaccinations and screening.
Where should I start?
- The Self-Care Forum has resources to help you plan for Self-Care Week such as our 8 point plan and comms plan, we also have best practice case studies, posters and of course the Self-Care Week icon to help brand your activities.
- You could also subscribe to our newsletter for updates on Self-Care Week and all things self-care.
- Or, for more information contact selfcare@selfcareforum.org.
For news on what happened during previous Self-Care Week’s see the Self-Care Week Reviews.
