Chesterfield College students help combat stigma of mental health issues

It can rob victims of their self-esteem, make them feel isolated, afraid or ashamed to confide in others.

Maintaining mental health and educating the public are the aims of a collaboration between college students and healthcare professionals which is the first of its kind in Derbyshire.

The initiative will target learners at Chesterfield College next week and be rolled out to the town’s wider community in the spring.

Karen Wheeler, of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The aim of the project is to build resilience in our future generation.

“We’re also looking to combat the stigma around mental health problems and help people to understand what it is like to live with.”

People who are in recovery will be among those contributing to an event at the college on Thursday, November 3. Karen said: “They will be teaching students how to look after their mental health. It’s very empowering for students to be in touch with people with lived experience, they learn how to engage and how to be compassionate.”

All students at the college have been invited to attend the Connect 5 day where they will be encouraged to take steps towards a healthier and more satisfying life.

Karen, who is acting lead occupational therapist for mental health, said: “We’ll be helping them keep mentally well by giving them a bit of a tool kit.”

The activity day is designed around students investing time in relationships, learning something new, being active, being aware of the world around them and giving their time or skills to others.

Just over 130 of the college’s 5,000 full-time and part-time students and 4,000 apprentices, who are work-based learners, self-declare a mental health difficulty at the time of enrolment. Last year 59 students required safeguarding officer intervention for mental health issues that they were experiencing during their time in college.

The same amount of students experiencing mental health difficulties (sometimes the same people) worked with progress coaches who provided support to enable them to continue with their studies, giving them help to manage anxiety and stress, referring them to the college counsellor and accessing services of external agencies.

The Connect 5 initiative will be rolled out to the public next year. Karen said: “The students will organise the event and target the general population – target the 
people who are struggling and try to build that resilience.”

The college has worked with representatives of Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the Public Health Department of Derbyshire County Council and NDVA, which supports health related voluntary organisations, on the project.

A similar event, attended by more than 200 students and members of the public, was held last year. One of the contributors said: “Chesterfield College have openly come out to support us, as have their students. Both the students and staff are amazing ambassadors. Through this partnership network we are building hope and strength to combat everyday issues, making friends, learning trust and responsibility, and improving self-esteem so that we can go out and stand tall.”

n For guidance on mental health problems, visit www.corecarestandards.co.uk/recovery-centre.

n For more on this story, see this week’s Derbyshire Times (publication date October 27).