16
Oct
Knaresborough school seeks investment to fund in-house mental health professional
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A Knaresborough secondary school is appealing to local businesses to invest in a mental health professional to support its pupils.
King James’s School, which caters to pupils aged 11 to 18, said more students than ever are struggling with mental health challenges such as anxiety and stress.
Despite the pastoral care already available to pupils, the school feels the “scale and complexity of need continues to grow” and has subsequently launched a campaign to expand its welfare provisions.
King James’s School is seeking investment from a "visionary business" to fund a dedicated mental health professional, which would cost a minimum of £15,000 per year over a three-year period.
The mental health professional would offer support to King James’s School pupils two days a week.
Cathryn Sutherland, who works as an attendance champion at the school, told the Stray Ferret:
I am the attendance champion and only began in the role in February. Fundraising is not part of my job description but having seen the need we have as a school, I wanted to do this to support the students.
The reason I mention this is that I don’t have the time to source multiple donations, therefore we are looking for that one business who can invest £15k for three years, so that we know the commitment is there and I can continue prioritising my main role. It would be fantastic if they are local and wanted to support their community but, in truth, we would welcome support from any business, anywhere.
The investment would directly enable increased specialist mental health provisions within the school, which would transform outcomes for some of the most vulnerable pupils, King James’s School said.
The Stray Ferret asked Ms Sutherland if the rise is mental health struggles amongst young people can be attributed to anything in particular. She said:
I am not a mental health professional so cannot comment with any expertise, but in my opinion, there has always been a need for strong mental health support for young people. However, the pressures of modern life seem to have intensified feelings of anxiety and stress among pupils.
In my role, I see that we’re fortunate to have access to some excellent external services, but the demand far exceeds what’s currently available and the additional resources and funding are urgently needed. We’re working to support both parents and young people because we view ourselves as a community. But to make lasting impact, we need continued collaboration and support to expand the help available. Should we receive this funding, it will be focused on the needs of the young person.
Organisations interested in supporting the campaign can contact Ms Sutherland by emailing sutherlandc@king-james.co.uk.
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