[R]ory Stewart MP has paid a visit to Wigton Youth Station to talk to young people about mental health issues and find out about their exciting new mental health project, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
The youth group was recently given £10,000 by the Big Lottery Fund to help young people tackle mental health issues. The money will help to provide ‘equine therapy sessions’ as part of a project helping young people come to terms with their emotions. The sessions are aimed at developing young people’s skills such as accountability, responsibility and self-confidence and are delivered under the care of a mental health professional who observes and interacts with the young person to identify thought processes and behaviour patterns.
During the visit Rory sat down with a group of girls who regularly attend the centre and listened to their thoughts and feelings about mental health, and how they cope with life’s challenges with the support of centre staff, volunteers and peers.
After the visit Rory said: “I would like to thank all the girls who spent time talking to me last week, for their openness and honesty about mental health and how it affects them day to day. We all need to be more open about our mental health and encourage young people to talk about how they feel. No one is unsusceptible to developing a mental health problem, and modern day life puts increasing pressures on young people, making this one of the biggest issues for society today. Having these important conversations about how we feel can make a big difference and I am so pleased that Wigton Youth Station has received funding for this innovative project which seems to be achieving real results. This is a wonderful place, and I am very proud of the Youth Station team and the important work they do for young people.”
Anyone interested in volunteering at the Youth Station can email info@youthstation-infocentre.co.uk for more information.
