A campaign is being launched to improve young people’s mental health in Croydon.
The new campaign was presented this week, following the annual youth congress where young people were offered the opportunity to express their concerns.
It was initiated by Croydon Council in partnership with local organisations Off the record, Croydon Talking Therapies, Ment4 and Young Croydon. The council’s award-winning Choose Your Future will be running the campaign, encouraging young people to ask for help when struggling with challenging situations.
Mental health, crime and safety as well as employment are among the most highlighted issues in Croydon.
A pupil at Oasis Shirley Park said: “Last year, I was feeling sad and angry due to the deaths of people that I knew. This changed me and it also affected my eating. I lost weight and people were concerned. I was in denial because a lot of young people, like myself, keep things to themselves and don’t want to ask for help.”
Local organisations have backed the campaign with more than 100 signatures, and awareness will be spread through posters with signposts in the borough from May 22.
Councillor Jane Avis, Cabinet Member for Families, Health and Social Care, said: “We want young people to know it is not unusual to feel anxious or stressed, and, through the Choose Your Future campaign, they do not need to feel alone or overwhelmed. Good emotional wellbeing and mental health are vital if young people are to enjoy life, to achieve, and to cope better with challenges. It is really important for them to look after themselves by staying healthy and to seek help if they need it.”
To find out more, visit Croydon Council’s website.