Let’s Chat is a specialist package of mental health and wellbeing support developed for the further education community.
Its resources and toolkits will help staff and students to look after their mental health, emotional wellbeing and resilience so they can move forward and cope with the different challenges we face today.
It has been created with funding from the Department for Education (DfE) via the college collaboration fund as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the FE community.
It’s never been more important to practice regular selfcare and maintain our emotional wellbeing and, as a sector, we want to work together to create a culture of positive mental health and wellbeing that benefits everyone and to make sure that no one is left behind.
The project is a partnership between two large further education colleges and a specialist delivery partner.
By working together, the three organisations have been able to develop this needs-led package of support.
Why it matters
A survey carried out by Young Minds (2020) showed:
- 80% of respondents agreed that the coronavirus pandemic had made their mental health worse
- 23% of respondents stated there was less mental health support in their educational setting than before the pandemic, while only 9% agreed that there was more mental health support
- Only 27% had had a one-to-one conversation with a teacher or another member of staff in which they were asked about their wellbeing
- 87% of respondents agreed that they had felt lonely or isolated during the lockdown period
- 31% said they were no longer able to access support but still needed it
(Young Minds Survey 2020)
Statistically, 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem in any given year. That’s why this is so important to have this resource and make it accessible to as many people as possible.
