A young people’s mental health campaign has reached the final in national awards which recognise outstanding work by local authorities.

Bolton’s Be Kind To My Mind young people’s mental health initiative, has been nominated for the prestigious MJ Awards 2024.

Be Kind To My Mind was created by former Bolton Youth MPs Jonathan Wright and Jaya Patel, supported by the Bolton Youth Voice groups, who wanted to reduce the stigma around young people’s mental health across the borough.

It is a unique mental health website programme designed purely by young people for young people and delivered with support from the council and health partners.

Since its fruition six years ago, the scheme has promoted a substantive range of mental health support, and the website now offers support for not only young people but parents and carers and professionals too.

Working in a broad partnership with Youth MPs, Children and Care Council, NHSGM (Bolton), Bolton Safeguarding Children Partnership and Bolton Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the duo launched the Health Minds Youth Project tackling the stigma around mental health and providing positive messaging to children and young people.

Pitching their ideas to senior health partners they secured backing to create a single source directory for all mental health services for young people housed on their own website, bekindtomymind.co.uk.

The pandemic led to rising numbers of young people needing support, and the website expanded to provide more help or them, their families and mental health professionals including resources for training and diagnostics.

The campaign provides a non-judgmental way for young people, families and professionals to get the mental health support they need, particularly for those needing reassurance and help while on waiting lists for referred appointments.

Be Kind To My Mind champions have been recruited for schools, providing a network of mental health support champions for students across the borough.

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And now after their hard work, they are finalists in the “Innovation in Children’s and Adults Services” category with the winner set to be announced at a ceremony in London on June 23.

Jonathan said: “I’m privileged to be part of the original group of young people who started Be Kind To My Mind as a campaign to reduce the stigma of mental health.

“I’m amazed to see how this has grown and expanded into the website that hosts so many important facts about mental health support for young people in Bolton.”

Director of children’s services, Bernie Brown, added: “I’m delighted that Bolton is represented at the prestigious MJ Awards, and my thanks goes to all the young people and the partners that have helped deliver this unique trailblazing resource. 

“This is an incredible example of how a whole system can come together to support children and young people when we listen to them and are guided by what they tell us, producing something that has actually had a huge impact.

“What they have created is making an immense difference to many young people’s lives and their families who are deeply concerned about them.

“All of us face emotional and mental health challenges throughout life and we all need people around us to help, so please not only be kind to yourself but also others around you too.

“If you need a little extra help to get you through troubling times then please seek help.”

For mental health support for young people go to: https://www.bekindtomymind.co.uk/

Or for adults, go to: https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/services-in-bolton/

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on X @chloewjourno