Suffolk youngsters complete mental health first aid course to help combat stress

Schoolchildren in Suffolk are learning how to take better care of their mental health and to recognise when a classmate is struggling.

Volunteering Matters is delivering a first aid course called ANCHOR to young people across the county to help them deal with feelings of stress, depression and anxiety, and in turn relieve pressure on over-stretched NHS services.

Pupils undergo six hours of training in the topics of awareness, needs, coping, help, ownership and resilience; and they then have the opportunity to do a further six-hour course to become a peer mentor.

Northgate High School has taken part, and next month Claydon High School will do the same.

Alison Easterbrook, special needs coordinator at Northgate, said: “We work with youngsters who suffer with a range of emotional wellbeing issues, ranging from normal teenage pressures to quite severe anxiety and depression and that affects their ability to learn.

“So we wanted to make sure we had support in place to meet the needs of our youngsters and we want a system of peer support because sometimes, for whatever reason, youngsters do not want to approach a member of staff.”

 

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