Your VP Welfare and MHA Soc are bringing mental health issues to the Mile End and Whitchapel campus with a twist
In the UK, 1 in 4 people will experience mental health problems each year, with young people being increasingly affected. Your Vice President for Welfare, Miranda Black, has been working with the QMBL Mental Health Awareness Society on an ‘Elephant in the Room’ campaign, bringing mental health issues to the Mile End and Whitchapel campus with a twist. QMSU asked her to tell us about the campaign:
Why is the campaign called Elephant in the Room?
The campaign is called Elephant in the Room because mental health is an important issue that is recognised but people don’t want to talk about. This then creates stigma around the topic as people make assumptions about what mental health means without sharing their experiences or listening to others.
When will the campaign be running?
The campaign is running from the 12 October on Mile End campus, and from the 14 October on the Whitechapel campus, but the videos and photos we produce will be used to further promote the campaign and get the message out.
What is the campaign and how can students get involved?
We’ll have a couple of people roaming around both the Mile End and Whitechapel campus as elephants to encourage people to talk about mental health, but we also have plenty of elephant masks to give out if students want to get involved. Niall, the QMUL Mental Health Coordinator, will be in Library Square from 12-2 Monday 12 Oct, talking to people about mental health and encouraging people to write ‘mind apples’: the things that they do to lift them out of a bad mood. If anyone has any ideas for how we can expand the campaign and reach as many people as possible, or if anyone wants an elephant to come into their lecture they can contact su-vpwelfare@qmul.ac.uk.