London, Jan 28 (PTI) Anagha Rajesh, a 20-year-old Indian student and a mental health campaigner, will play a key role in the first-ever Student Mental Health Week starting on February 6.
The Student Mental Health Week global campaign by online learning company Chegg seeks to destigmatise mental health among students, encourage young people to be intentional about looking after themselves, and inspire conversations around what policymakers, education institutions, the wider community, parents, and learners themselves can do to support student mental wellness.
Rajesh, a Chegg.Org Global Student Prize 2022 top 10 finalist, is the founder and CEO of Yours Mindfully – a youth-led non-profit that provides mental health resources for young people around the world.
Throughout the week, Rajesh’s team at Yours Mindfully will host four free “listening circles” for students around the world.
“Thank you to Chegg and all the organisations involved in creating this important campaign, which we are proud to join,” said Rajesh from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Goa.
“Yours Mindfully brings together young people from India and around the world to challenge the stigma around mental health. Our goal is to make the world a safer place to talk about mental wellness.
"We look forward to connecting with students through the listening circles and hope to provide them with a chance to discuss their feelings openly, support each other, and highlight the importance of mental wellness,” she said.
Student Mental Health Week is organised by Chegg in collaboration with five non-profits: Born This Way Foundation, launched and led by Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta; the Jed Foundation (JED), which protects emotional well-being and prevents suicide for teens and young adults; the Inspiring Children Foundation, co-chaired by American singer-songwriter Jewel; Young Invincibles, which leads advocacy efforts centered on improving the lives of young adults and increasing their access to mental health services; and the Varkey Foundation, which looks to improve the quality education for every child by building the status of teachers around the world.
“We are proud to launch Student Mental Health Week, and hope to put this issue right at the top of the policy agenda,” said Dan Rosensweig, CEO and President of Chegg.
“Students around the world face a perfect storm of different challenges – from learning in the aftermath of the pandemic, rising debt levels, and now global economic uncertainty.
"Through this campaign, we want to continue our commitment to holistically supporting students, so that they can make the most of their education, their relationships, and their ability to face the future with confidence,” he said.
Student Mental Health Week, running between February 6 and 12, will encompass a variety of events, including social media live events, to help educate policymakers, educational institutions, and communities on the mental health challenges students now face.
Finalists of the Chegg.Org USD 100,000 Global Student Prize will be asked to share how they look after their mental wellness, which resources they turn to for support, facts about student mental health in their country, and projects they are involved with on the ground.