Gr@nd staff encourage young people not to keep their feelings locked up, and talk about mental health. Workers from The Gr@nd Healthy Living Centre Gravesend, took their newly formed group of peer mentors to look around the Old Town Hall on Friday 16 August in preparation for the Young People’s conference they are planning at the historical venue on Thursday 10 October, for World Mental Health Day.

1 in 10 Young People are struggling with a mental health problem according to charity ‘Time to Change’ and the conference will be a chance to bring young people together to talk about mental health and wellbeing.

Dil, Community Health Worker said: “We have been meeting with students who are going into the 6th form in September to talk to them about the mental health. There has been a great response from students who have volunteered to be peer mentors to younger students. The conference will be led by the young people and the aim is to increase awareness of mental health issues, get people talking about mental health and identify ways to support young people who need help”.

The group are taking part in a variety of training sessions to prepare them for their role which includes training as MindFull website mentors at Google Headquarters. The website provides a safe forum where young people can talk about their feelings with trained Young People via the live chat space and blog everyday between 10am and midnight.

For more information about becoming a peer mentor or to get involved with helping young people to understand mental health please contact Diljeet Nota on 01474 32 01 23 or diljeet.nota@thegrand.org.uk .

MindFull is a charity for 11-17 year olds providing support, information and advice about Mental Health and emotional Wellbeing. For more information visit http://www.mindfull.org.uk