Today (Tuesday 10 October) is World Mental Health Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health.
This is a very important day as it is estimated around 500,000 of us in England live with severe mental illness.
Every year the World Foundation of Mental Health sets a theme for the day, and this year it is “mental health is a universal human right”.
As ever we are recognising World Mental Health Day here at North Kent College, with all tutorials during this week focussing on the topic.
We also have several other events taking place across our campuses to support our commitment to talk more about mental health.
We are running ‘Tea and Talk’ sessions at each campus for staff and students to come along for free drinks, biscuits, resources and the opportunity to meet each other.
We also have a special guest speaker, Andreena Leeanne, coming in on World Mental Health Day to deliver her story that relates to both the issues of mental health and black history (with October also being Black History Month).
At North Kent College we are fully aware how challenging things can be, especially as students transition to a new part of their life taking on the greater independence and responsibility college life offers.
We provide a wide range of assistance to support students through this, including a professional and confidential counselling service, with dedicated Mental Health and Counselling Coordinators forming part of our Welfare and Safeguarding Team.
World Mental Health Day has been celebrated since 1992 and has had a specific theme each year since 1994.
To find out more visit the Mental Health Foundation website.