Students from Forth Valley College’s NC Social Care course were on the frontline of an exciting workshop focus group recently, to help improve mental health resilience in young people.
Laura Gulliver, Project Lead from Mental Health UK led the group which took place in the Falkirk Campus recently and focussed on helping students with exam stress, friendships and relationships, building resilience, coping strategies and managing studies and time.
The initiative is part of a six session pilot which will be taking place in Forth Valley College in September and is in association with Support in Mind Scotland, Rethink Mental Illness, HAFAL and Mindwise who are Founding partners of Mental Health UK.
Laura, said: “It is important that we move forward to a culture where mental health is discussed openly and not just in the context of ‘mental health’, or health lectures, or lessons, as this might not suit everyone. Supporting young people to explore common areas they might find stressful such as exams, or making decisions about the future, may allow conversations to open up for young people to consider their wellbeing through a different lens.”
Sarah Higgins, Curriculum Manager in FVC’s Department of Care, Sport and Construction, said: “We are keen to participate in this pilot project as we recognise the value of promoting resilience and coping strategies in our young students. By supporting learners in managing their time and exam pressures we hope to maximise their success at college.