College’s dedicated Mental Health staff and local organisations work together to help young people

As part of the College’s commitment to improving the mental health of young people, one element of the role of our Designated Mental Health lead is to develop contacts and keep on top of the best services out there to help teenagers today.

Jen Foden has the dedicated role of being the central point of contact for any students with mental health worries. She’s on hand to signpost students to the online or face-to-face services that will benefit that individual most, depending on their issue or how they feel most comfortable.

Jen works alongside our Learning Support Manager and Safeguarding Officer, James King, and they both visited an established and well-renowned mental health charity as they settled into their brand new and improved base in Birkenhead.

The Open Door Centre just moved into a new home in the unique Bloom Building in Abbey Close, and has eyes on expanding the ways in which they operate. Jen and James discussed with them how we can work with the charity to best help our students.

Jen explained: “The Open Door Centre runs one-to-one counselling, mentoring and also online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is a talking therapy that helps people manage their problems by changing the way that they think and behave. Along with these services, they also get students involved in creative projects, and their new building has space for putting on gigs, exhibitions and meetings.

“Students who suffer with issues like anxiety, depression and low mood can really benefit from their services, so they should see me to make an appointment.”

Jen continued: “On top of offering services to the sufferers of mental health issues, the Open Door Centre are keen to talk to our students who are interested in working within mental health or even the music and creative industries.”

Any students that feel like they need to talk to someone about mental health issues should speak to Jen, the College’s Mental Health Lead. You can contact her via email at jf@bsfc.ac.uk or speak to her in the Student Development Base.