Charity aiming to influence policy on mental health education

A mental health charity based in Newark is set to open an office in America and is on the verge of influencing a change in national education policy in the UK.

The Shaw Mind Foundation, the headquarters of which are on Millgate, attracted more than 100,000 signatures to a petition calling for mental health education to be made a compulsory part of personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons in schools.

As a result, a three-hour debate was held in Westminster Hall and the Department For Education said it would be drawing up a green paper on children and young people’s mental health.

The green paper — a preliminary report of Government proposals — will include plans to improve mental health services and increase focus on preventative activity.

To help schools develop their teaching on mental health, the Government has funded the PSHE Association to produce guidance and age-appropriate lesson plans.

The Shaw Mind Foundation was the first British mental health charity to gain more than 100,000 signatures on a Government petition.

So many members of the public turned up to the resulting debate that they had to take it in turns to sit in and watch.

It was a huge achievement for a charity that was established only three years ago.

The Shaw Mind Foundation runs several projects to help those who suffer from mental health issues and lobbies key groups to introduce more preventative measures.

One of its aims is to increase awareness and understanding of mental health issues in the workplace and, by targeting reform in education, aims to educate the workforce of tomorrow.

Impact of poor mental health on the economy

Chief executive Mrs Kate Majid said the success of the foundation’s petition showed there was enough of a following to equip people with the skills they needed to deal with mental health issues.

“Your child might go to one school and another child might go to another school and they might have a different education in mental health and that’s not right,” she said.

“We know, for instance, the impact of poor mental health on the economy is significant and was recently quoted as £70bn.

“That’s about absenteeism and presenteeism, which is where people who are not well enough to work still come to work.”

The charity’s founder, Mr Adam Shaw, has been in Tampa, Florida, establishing the foundation’s US office from which he hopes it will grow and help to influence change on the other side of the Atlantic.

The foundation’s publishing firm, Trigger Press, has already opened inside the new Tampa office with the foundation set to open next year.

Trigger Press, which also has a base in the Millgate office, has published nine mental health self-help books from which at least 50% of the proceeds go to the Shaw Mind Foundation.

'Rate of suicide in the UK and America is horrific'

Mrs Majid said: “Adam has had an interest in America for many years and is keen to establish both the foundation and the publishing house there and try to grow as much as possible.

“The rate of suicide in the UK and America is horrific and startling.

“We have already had some organisations in America reaching out to us.”

Mrs Majid said the foundation planned to develop a mental health helpline for children and young people in Newark.

The helpline would provide advice and support for people with mental health difficulties or those supporting people with such difficulties.

The aim would be to eventually grow it beyond the Newark area.

The charity is asking for support from businesses and individuals in the Newark area and would like to hear from anyone who has fundraising ideas.

Mrs Majid said: “I want Newark to adopt us as its mental health charity for the next generation, so when people in Newark think about who to do their fun run for or who to do their fundraising for I want them to think of us.”

The Shaw Mind Foundation can be contacted on 01636 600825. Its office, at 48 Millgate, Newark, is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm.