Barrow’s Furness College and the careers organization Inspira are running a mental health and wellbeing festival next week for students.
The festival, on the Channelside campus, will involve around 30 employers, charities and organisations.
The festival marks the completion of students’ level one qualification in mental health, which they have achieved alongside their subject studies at Furness College.
The university’s student services manager, Sarah Carter, worked with Inspira’s local employment and engagement officer, Lauren Jackson, to organize the event on Tuesday, November 22.
She said the festival would give students and staff a chance to celebrate and reflect on their learning this term in a fun way.
“We recognize the importance of supporting the mental health of our students and wanted a way to celebrate the grade they achieved,” Sarah said.
“This will also give staff and students the opportunity to see the full range of organizations that can offer advice and support for mental health and ways to keep your mind healthy, including through sport, leisure activities and hobbies.” .
Lauren said that after the pandemic, Inspira had seen a huge decline in the mental health of young people.
“We feel that in order to introduce career guidance and counselling, we must first address and support their mental well-being by offering a wide variety of support mechanisms to help them make the right decisions for the world of work,” he said.
“To achieve this, we created an event where a wide range of local health and wellness organizations could come together and show the young people of Furness College that support is available. We look forward to welcoming local and national charities and other organizations to attend the festival.”
Representatives of groups and charities such as SAFA, Autism Cumbria, Rusland Horizon Trust, Women’s Community Matters, CADAS, NHS First Step, Dropzone, Mind in Furness and Cancercare will attend.
There will be a spider ball activity by the Barrow Community Sports Trust and kick tennis and boxercise by the Barrow Raiders, as well as live demonstrations by the university’s hair and beauty team and a booth by the Ørsted community team, which features a dedicated mental health counselor.
The event, which is for staff and students at the university and is backed by the Students’ Union, will be repeated at Barrow Sixth Form College next month.
Furness College Channelside Student President Wilson Hubbold, who is studying health and social care, said: “Studying the grade has helped us understand the different types of mental health conditions.
“We have learned how mental health can be unpredictable and everyone needs support from time to time. We hope many of our fellow students will come to this first festival, talk to support organizations and continue to find ways to manage their well-being and that of others.”
