Powerful image pays tribute to students lost to suicide for University Mental Health Day
An image released today, on University Mental Health Day (Thursday 7 March), by The Student Room (TSR) and national charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide aims to raise awareness of suicide and mental health issues amongst UK university students. The 95 graduation gowns represent each life lost to suicide in the space of one year.
The partnership between TSR and PAPYRUS aims to draw attention to the severity of mental health issues amongst UK university students and encourage more conversation to help reduce the stigma that surrounds it.
On the day of University Mental Health Day, representatives from PAPYRUS and TSR will be supporting and contributing to a live Q&A panel on site, where students have the opportunity to ask any questions surrounding mental health, university support and how to manage their own health at university.
Anyone can read or take part in the panel on site here.
“We are working with The Student Room to encourage conversation in the safe space of their community,” said Kelly Thorpe, head of helpline services at PAPYRUS.
“Greater awareness of the help and support available to students, such as PAPYRUS helpline services, can only encourage a suicide-safer university environment.”
Mhairi Underwood, head of community at TSR said:
“In the past twelve months alone, discussions in our Mental Health forum have been viewed 1.4 million times, which is an increase of 23% from the year before. From dealing with anxiety around exams and loneliness, to helping friends with thoughts of suicide, students need support in overcoming mental health challenges. We want to encourage two-way conversations and provide young people with a safe space where they feel able to share their concerns, however big or small.
According to the latest ONS statistics, the rate of suicides amongst higher education students in the UK between July 2016 to 2017 equated to a minimum 95 deaths.
About The Student Room: Founded in 2001, The Student Room is the UK’s largest online student community and the country’s no.1 education website according to ComScore data. The Student Room has over 3 million registered members, primarily aged between 14-24 and attracts over 8 million visitors a month.
It provides advice on studying, educational career choice and lifestyle issues. The Student Room works directly with most UK universities as well as a wide range of leading brands and companies. 24/7 honest, realistic advice and support. It offers students a peer-to-peer forum platform, in conjunction with advice articles and online tools to support them in study help and university choice. It also provides its B2B clients a range of advertising, database marketing and content services.
About PAPYRUS: Suicide is the main cause of death in young people under 35 in the UK. Every year in the UK over 1,600 take their own lives. PAPYRUS believes that many are preventable. The charity provides practical advice and support to young people and others concerned that a young person may be at risk of killing themselves.
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