Teen calls for compulsory mental health training for teachers

Ben West (right) set up a petition after his brother Sam (left) took his own life

A teenager whose 15-year-old brother killed himself is calling on the government to make mental health first aid training compulsory for teachers.

Ben West's brother Sam, who struggled with depression, died in January.

It led Ben, 18, to launch the Save Our Students petition - which has had more than 143,000 signatures.

The government says it's introducing "a new specialist workforce to help school staff recognise the signs of mental health problems much earlier".

Sam West enjoyed art and music, as well as skiing.

Sam was a talented artist and musician whose paintings are still up all over the family home in Kent.

"He composed this piece which just sounds so professional, it's amazing," Ben told Newsbeat.

He was also sporty.

"We used to go skiing a lot and that's one of my best memories. He was about my level so we'd just go off together and ski together.

"Yeah I'm gonna miss that, I think."

'I want to help other people'

Ben and his family set up the Sam West Foundation in his brother's memory

The night Sam died isn't one Ben remembers much of - he says he's blocked out most of the details.

But for half an hour, he had to perform first aid on his brother before the emergency services arrived.

"That's going to be with me for the rest of my life," Ben said. "It hit my family really, really hard.

"The devastation has inspired me to try and do something to help other people."

This started with a charity walk in August to raise money for the Sam West Foundation - which promotes awareness of mental health in young people.

Then he started a petition to make basic, mental health first aid a compulsory part of teaching in schools.

A different way of doing things

Ben and his family organised a charity walk in Sam's name in August

The Department for Education said it was "working hard to improve mental health support for every young person".

"Through our mental health green paper we are introducing a new specialist workforce to help school staff recognise the signs of mental health problems much earlier.

"Under our proposals, we will also support all schools to identify and train a designated lead for mental health and fund new training to help these leads put in place a whole school approach to mental health."

But Ben feels these plans aren't quite right.

"I think that's going to be less effective than if we make this knowledge broad," he said.

"Instead of having an epicentre of support in a school, you put that onto teachers - people you are going to see all day when you're a student.

"That can make the environment feel a lot more comfortable. You know you can confide in them."

Ben said the support for his petition has been incredible.

"We say a lot about the stigma behind mental health and how we're trying to beat the stigma, and this has just proved to me people do genuinely care about this."

If you are affected by these issues please contact the Samaritans on the free helpline 116 123, or visit the website.

Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.