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Mourant, a leading offshore law firm and governance services provider, has continued its work in highlighting the importance of health and wellbeing by committing three years of sponsorship to an annual psychology essay writing competition that aims to raise awareness of mental health issues in the island.
The competition requires Jersey's psychology students to write a 1000 word essay on a topic relating to mental health in psychology, thinking independently and critically to demonstrate an understanding of the topic. It's open to all final year students (year 13) in Jersey studying Psychology at A-Level and through the International Baccalaureate.
Mourant Jersey Managing Partner Daniel Birtwistle, said: "We're really proud to partner with Jersey's schools for this initiative which we think has the potential to have a long-lasting, positive impact on our community, and aligns so well with our own values. Maintaining good mental health is essential to living a full, productive life and to realising your full potential which is why, as an employer, we're passionate about raising awareness of mental health in the wider community and supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of our people.
"This competition encourages young people to talk openly about mental health and to share their thoughts and opinions, which is an essential part of developing an understanding and counteracting stigma."
Across the firm's global offices it supports a number of initiatives aimed at raising awareness of mental health issues, including Mental Health Awareness Week and Men's Health Awareness Week. Mourant also has a number of Mental Health First Aiders in its team, who are trained on how to spot the first signs of mental health issues and to offer support in a calm and non-judgmental way.
The competition is judged by an independent panel composed of Ruth Emsley, Head of Psychology from the Jersey prison, Michelle Vaughan, Principle Educational Psychologist, and Rachel Baxter, Senior Adviser with responsibility for teaching and learning and secondary curriculum from the Education Department.
“It is fantastic that Mourant have joined with us to promote Psychology on the Island with a focus of greater awareness and understanding of mental health. This competition provides students with an opportunity to extend their understanding of Psychology in this area and to go beyond their curricula. It presents them with a platform to critically analyse and evaluate different perspectives in the field of mental health. The competition also equips students with a mechanism to demonstrate to employers or universities a clear interest and passion for the subject.” Adrian Moss, Head of Psychology Hautlieu School.
