Brooke
Youth Assembly Member
The Youth Assembly Health Committee has been working on mental health in schools and to make sure we hear from young people all across Northern Ireland, we organised a Mental Health Youth Stakeholder Event on Saturday, 8 March, in Parliament Buildings. This event brought together young people from a range of organisations to talk about the mental health challenges students face.
We were joined by young people from organizations such as Angel Eyes, Belfast YMCA, NICCY, the Children’s Law Centre, and Northern Ireland members of the UK Youth Parliament. Each group had something valuable to share, and it was great to hear from so many different voices on this issue. It was clear that mental health in schools is a topic that matters to a lot of young people, and we were able to gather a lot of insights that will help guide us moving forward.
I found the event to be really inspiring. It was an opportunity to listen to a wide range of perspectives, and it made me realise just how much we need to improve the mental health support available to students. The feedback we received was consistent: there’s a clear gap between the mental health needs of young people and the support that schools are currently able to provide. This is something that we need to address.
One of the biggest issues that came up during the discussions was the stigma surrounding mental health. Many of the young people shared how the stigma makes it difficult for them to talk openly about their struggles. The fear of being judged or misunderstood prevents many from seeking help when they need it. This is a huge barrier, especially in schools where mental health challenges can impact a student’s performance and well-being. It became clear that breaking down this stigma needs to be a top priority if we want to create an environment where students feel comfortable reaching out for support.
We also heard about was the lack of awareness about mental health resources in schools. Many students simply don’t know where to go for help, or they didn’t feel confident enough to approach someone for assistance. This highlights the need for schools to not only offer mental health support but also make sure students know exactly where to turn when they need it.
The event also gave us the chance to talk about some of the things that are working in certain schools. We heard about peer mentor programs where students are trained to support their classmates with mental health issues. These peer mentors create a safe space for students to talk and offer support to one another, which helps reduce isolation and builds a stronger sense of community within schools.
Another great example was the introduction of dedicated mental health rooms in some schools. These rooms provide a calm and supportive environment where students can go to de-stress, talk to someone, or just take a break from the pressures of school life. These initiatives are already making a real difference, and it was encouraging to see that many young people are finding ways to help each other and take care of their mental health in school. We discussed how these types of programs could be expanded across schools to create a more supportive and understanding atmosphere for all students.
The event was a great step forward in making sure young people’s voices are heard when it comes to mental health in schools. We’re now working on putting together all the feedback we received, and we’ll be presenting it to the Minister of Health and the Assembly’s Health Committee at the end of June. Our goal is to push for changes that will improve mental health support for students because it’s clear that this is an issue that needs attention.
