Campaign launched to help young people understand mental health and the support available in Portsmouth

Health and Care Portsmouth has launched a campaign to help young people understand mental health, and the free support they can access in Portsmouth.

The You Are Not Alone campaign aims to provide a clear breakdown of mental health services, helping young people understand the different support options and which service would be the best for their needs.

Young people can also educate themselves on different mental health conditions and find a list of useful websites and self-care resources.

Cllr Matthew Winnington, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care at Portsmouth City Council, said: “We’re all aware that the last two years have had a significant impact on people’s mental health, and that young people have been particularly affected.

“We want to raise awareness of the support available in Portsmouth, and help people understand where, when and how they can get support for their mental health.”

With a variety of different services available, young people will be able to access support in person, online, over the phone or via text. Certain services also provide support anonymously, whilst others can help people access more specialist support if needed. The services promoted through the campaign are Kooth, PositiveMinds, Talking Change, The Harbour, Shout and NHS 111.

Although the campaign is targeted at young people aged 16-25, adults of all ages can benefit from the campaign, and access the majority of services. For children aged 11-16, social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) guidance was launched earlier this year.

Cllr Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, and Deputy Leader of Portsmouth City Council, added: “It has been a turbulent time for young people in education and work over the last few years, and we know the impact this is having across our city. Supporting mental health is one of our key priorities and we are committed to making sure all young people know where to go to get support when they need it. We also hope this campaign helps new students arriving in Portsmouth, as they can access the support once they’ve registered with a GP practice in the city.”

With support from HIVE Portsmouth, the campaign has been co-produced with young people right from the start. 26 young people provided feedback on different design ideas and campaign names. The team offered drop-in sessions and visited MAKE at Aldingbourne Enterprise, Dynamite, and the Minstead Trust.

Find the You Are Not Alone campaign at www.mentalhealthinportsmouth.co.uk