Students raise profile of mental health
Tue 3rd March 2015
Students at East Riding College have been learning about emotional wellbeing and mental health in young people, thanks to a link-up with a national charity.
Tutorial sessions have been held with YoungMinds to give learners an opportunity to discuss issues around mental health, give their opinions and learn how to help people with mental health issues.
Health and social care student Vicki Bolton, 17, from Beverley, said: “I feel the tutorial was really informative. It was also good for raising awareness for such a taboo subject.”
Jacob Drydale, 20, from Beverley, also a health and social care student, said: “The tutorial was very enjoyable and I believe, for those without much knowledge on the subject, it was very enlightening on the issues of mental health that young people face these days.”
Tracy Underwood, enrichment officer for the College, said: “Mental health has been increasingly in the public eye over recent years and we know that young people suffer just as adults do.
“These workshops were an excellent opportunity to talk to learners about mental health and wellbeing, to hear what they had to say and to talk about how we might help people who need it.”
YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.
The organisation campaigns, researches and influences policy and practice, as well as providing expert knowledge to professionals, parents and young people through a parents' helpline, online resources, training and development, outreach work and publications.
Hazell Cockle, sessional worker for YoungMinds, said: “YoungMinds is the national young people's mental health charity campaigning for better mental health and emotional wellbeing for all young people.
“As part of our 'Versus' campaign YoungMinds staff are visiting schools and colleges across the country, running awareness raising workshops that enable young people to fight the stigma surrounding mental health, discuss their experiences and opinions, and learn positive ways to look after their mental health and help others who are suffering.
“The students from East Riding College really engaged well with the workshops and identified with the issues that the YoungMinds Versus campaign tackles.”
For more information about YoungMinds, go to www.youngminds.org.uk and for East Riding College go to www.eastridingcollege.ac.uk
