No child should have to go through life feeling like they are alone and can’t be helped. Unfortunately, there are many cases in today’s day and age where teens feel like no one understands them and no one can help them. There are myriads of teens out there who don’t have any help in dealing with their mental health. One such teen, Sam West, took his own life this January after a long struggle with depression. Now, his brother Ben West is looking to ensure that this does not happen ever again.
Save Our Students Petition
Ben West, 18 years of age, has set up a petition that requires the law to make it compulsory for all teachers to get mental health training, so no student feels alone and helpless in dealing with their mental illnesses. So far, he has managed to gather over 143,000 signatures. This movement to call for compulsory mental health training first started with a charity walk held in August.
The Sam West Foundation
Apart from the petition, Ben and his family also founded the Sam West Foundation after Sam’s sad demise. The above-mentioned charity walk, called #WalkToTalk, was meant to help raise money for this very foundation. The Sam West Foundation serves as a symbol of mental health awareness, working to create and promote awareness about it, and working to break the stigma attached with mental illnesses.
The Government’s Response
So far, the government has not officially made mental health training compulsory for teachers at schools. But steps are being taken, such as the introduction of new specialized workforce meant to help school staff with identifying early signs of mental health problems. The Department of Education has released a statement saying that it has been working relentlessly to provide better mental health care and help to all teenagers and the youth at large. However, Ben still feels that the government’s response to all of this has been wrong. Instead, they should get teachers involved directly to create a more comfortable and safe environment, instead of bringing external forces in.
Always Be On the Lookout
Whether the government gives in to Ben’s petition or not is yet to be decided. But one thing is for sure – mental health problems are increasingly becoming more common. For this reason, you need to be the change by helping out anyone you think is going through a rough patch, so they know they’re not alone.