May 15, 2023

As we kick off Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to highlight the importance of addressing mental health issues and breaking down the stigma that often surrounds them. In many ways, mental health is just like physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it. Going through a period of poor mental health may mean you find the way you think, feel and act is difficult to cope with. That’s why at Elliott Hudson College we’re committed to creating a supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable discussing their mental well-being. Here are a few of the many ways you can find support at college:

‘Time for Me Thursdays’

The college day can often be overwhelming with exams, additional study and just the general pressures you feel as a student. To combat this, the new ‘Time for Me Thursdays’ have been set up to give students a place to recharge. Every Thursday lunchtime there will be a quiet corner in college, open for anyone to join. It’s a space to relax, chat, play games, listen to music, and even meet new people. For more information chat to your Alliance Team.

Support for Exam Stress

Exam stress can be described as “a weight placed on top of you”: whilst you want to succeed, the pressure makes it difficult. With exam season upon us, it is more than expected to feel an extra weight of anxiety and stress about what is coming but managing it is possible and can be done by fully utilising all of the resources offered at college.

Feeling prepared is one big step toward reducing exam stress. Other than the support that’s always available from your teachers, the student bulletin offers resources on how best to Raise Your Grade in a healthy way that isn’t detrimental to your well-being. These range from revision master classes, making sure your study time is used efficiently, to information about subject specific opportunities that will help put your mind at ease about what happens post-exams.

Our Colourful Interior

As soon as students, staff and visitors walk through the doors of Elliott Hudson College they are surrounded by bright yellows, oranges, and blues. People often associate the colour yellow with happiness, but have you ever wondered why?

Throughout the long history of the colour theory (that dates back to ancient Egypt, Greece and China) a lot of research has been done into the effects of colour on mood. The theory suggests that the colours a person is surrounded with can have an effect on the person’s health and has led to the use of colour therapy in day-to-day life.

So, coming into college alone and surrounding yourself with colour impacts your well-being by improving your mood. This creates a naturally positive atmosphere in college to ensure you feel your best.

Place2Be

Place2Be is another service available at EHC that offers a wide range of universal and targeted interventions that are bespoke to the individual.

One example of those interventions is group work, which focuses on a variety of issues that may be prevalent in your life, such as transition, bereavement, friendship, and self-esteem. In addition to that there is also the option of one-to-one counselling throughout the week, accessible to any student who may need it. Both of these have proven to have a positive impact on well-being.

Place2Be has drop-in sessions open to anyone on Wednesday and Friday lunch and break times.

Contact Rosane de Souza for more information.

MindMate Support Team

We understand that finding the right help can be an extremely daunting and sometimes a difficult process, but to make mental health support more accessible we have the MindMate support team. This is a service offering support to students at Elliott Hudson College, who may be experiencing difficulties around their emotional wellbeing.

The team create an individual plan for each young person, which could include 1:1 support, groups, workshops or sharing information on other services within your area which could provide support that’s right for you.

To access this support please speak to a member of your Alliance Team.

Student Thoughts

Here is what the students of Elliott Hudson College have to say about the support on offer:

“Elliott Hudson college offers a variety of support systems for mental health. We can always talk to our Head of Alliance and trusted teachers. The college provides internet access and offers ‘Mindmate’ which is a professional website supported by NHS that helps with mental health. Our college is open to talking about mental health anytime!” – Wivine, Year 12

“Mental health is important because it allows students to feel comfortable around college and that they are safe to talk to anyone.” – Ahmad, Year 12

Want to know more?

To celebrate mental health awareness month, why not do some further reading with these TV shows/ movies and books with mental health representation in:

TV Shows/ Movies

• Sex Education – Anxiety
• Normal People – Anxiety and Depression
• Girl, Interrupted – Borderline Personality Disorder
• Black Swan – Anxiety

Books

• Turtles All The Way Down by John Green – OCD and Anxiety
• Girl In Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow – Depression
• All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven – Bipolar disorder
• The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – PTSD

I’m Chloe and I’m in year 12. I wanted to write this piece because I feel mental health is a very prevalent topic for young adults in today’s society.

Therefore, it’s important that everyone is aware that there is support here at college and they should always feel comfortable to ask for it.