Student mental health: Friend's death inspires teen to help others

Josh Willis said he had spoken to several fellow students who had been struggling with their mental health

A student whose friend took his own life is helping others with mental health issues to open up.

Josh Willis, 18, has become a mental health ambassador at his college in Scunthorpe.

Mr Willis said he wanted to help fellow students after the death of his friend who had been silently suffering during lockdown.

"He was always there for everyone else but no-one knew he was struggling himself," he said.

Mr Willis, one of two ambassadors at North Lindsey College, said he had spoken to several students whose moods had been affected by the lockdown.

"They feel sad and are finding it really tough because they can't go and see their friends or family," he said.

"It's often hard to speak to an adult or to your close friends about how you're feeling so I'm there to listen and to point them in the right direction if they need further support."

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The role has been introduced by the Association of Colleges (AoC), which found in a a recent survey that 94% of colleges in England had a student attempt suicide in the last year.

'Big stigma'

More than 90% also said the pandemic, alongside other factors such as social media, had contributed to an increase in mental health problems.

Alan Rayment, college supervisor, said: "We want our students to be the eyes and ears on campus.

"Also these are two young lads and there's a big stigma that lads can't talk so when they came forward it was brilliant."

Richard Caulfield, from the AoC, said colleges needed support and investment to make sure they had the resources available to help students' mental health.

The government said the pandemic had had a "huge impact on people's mental health, including students and staff".

Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Gillian Keegan welcomed the AoC's report and said the government had invested £5.4m in the College Collaboration Fund, which helps to fund support services.