Teesdale YMCA backing for 'I am Whole' mental health campaign

A NATIONWIDE scheme to get young people talking about mental health has taken root in Teesdale.

The “I am Whole” campaign was relaunched last month and Teesdale YMCA, in Barnard Castle, got in on the act with their own fundraiser to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

Staff and visitors marked themselves with a circle on their hand to support the campaign to get more people talking.

New head of Teesdale YMCA Rachel Dyne explained why the scheme was important.

“If you look at research, 70 per cent of young people say there is a stigma around mental health,” said Ms Dyne.

“In Teesdale you’ve got rural isolation attached to that which people experience.”

The campaign was launched in 2016 by the YMCA and the NHS.

Ms Dyne said the scheme was looking to tackle some of the disparaging language associated with mental illness.

She added: “A lot of the campaign has been around harmful language and stereotypes to change it to more positive language and encourage young people to seek help.”