Mental Health

Young people have had their lives turned upside down during COVID. School closures, lack of contact with friends and loss of routine have all contributed to the increased need for mental health support for young people.  At LSA, student wellbeing is our priority, and with studies showing that 83% of young people have struggled with their mental health during this period, our focus continues to be on supporting our students.   

At LSA, we are fortunate to be able to offer a wide range of wellbeing and mental health programmes to our young people.  In addition to having a qualified counsellor on staff who provides one to one therapy to students who request it, we have launched a number of new programmes during this period.  One example is our Talking Therapies programme, which has been very successful in helping students to manage their mental health and wellbeing. With 95% of students attending 100% of their scheduled therapy sessions and 100% of students showing decreasing levels of stress, anxiety and depression, the importance of such sessions is evident.  

Another successful programme that we have launched is the “I’m Concerned” forum, open to all students, allowing them to post about anything that is on their minds, from work worries to more personal issues. This is a positive and safe space where students can engage with each other and find comfort in shared experiences and struggles. With more students making self-referrals to pastoral care, it is evident that whilst the need for such resources is increasing, there is also the positive outlook that students are becoming less nervous to reach out and ask for support.