Local school and charity team up to promote healthy young minds

Sunday 15 May 2016

A local school and charity are joining forces this summer to help give more support to young Islanders struggling with mental health issues.

Victoria College and local charity Mind Jersey are staging a two-day conference at the Radisson Blu Hotel in July so that teenagers know where they can go if they need to talk and what support is available to them.

They are bringing together local professionals and experts from the UK for the 'Promoting Healthy Young Minds' conference on 4 and 5 July who will explore how the Island can support young people better.

Victoria College Headmaster Alun Watkins said: “We know that many young people suffer from mental health problems that prevent them from thriving and getting what they should out of life.

“We recognise that teachers, parents and young people themselves are increasingly concerned and that’s where this idea came from. We want to create a place where we can help to tackle this important issue.”

Mind Jersey’s Executive Director James Le Feuvre said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Victoria College in organising this conference. It will provide an excellent opportunity to bring together a wide cross-section of young people, parents and professionals where we can share ideas and best practice in the promotion of good mental health for all children and young people.”

The event is being held over two days. The first is open to professionals and volunteers who work with children and young people.  The second is for teenagers aged 14 to 18 in the morning and for parents in the evening.

Education Minister Deputy Rod Bryans said: “We recognise that many young people are under pressure and sometimes need extra help coping with their world. We need to work together to do the best we can to support them, so this is an excellent initiative that has the potential to be immensely valuable.

“It’s essential that our young people know where to go if they need to talk and that the people they turn to understand what they are going through. It also ties in with the new Jersey Mental Health Strategy and, in particular, the key priority to promote prevention and early intervention.”

Tickets for the three workshops are free of charge and can be booked online here.