In October 2014 during the week of World Mental Health Day people from local community and voluntary organisations, students and academics at the University's Hastings campus gathered for a Hastings Exchange forum to discuss the mental health of young people in the town.

Starting off with an overview of the situation in the town was Graeme Potter from Hastings Borough Council, the presentation looked at several surveys and reports from the local area which showed various aspects of life which can impact on young people’s mental health.

Next we heard from Mark and Jenny about their own experiences dealing with their mental health, including what can lead someone to self-harm or contemplate suicide and strategies that can be put in place to try and stop those situations arising.

Offering some insight from an organisation dealing with preventing suicide was Miranda Frost of Grassroots Suicide prevention who offer courses to the community to help them spot and assist those who may be having suicidal thoughts.

Dr Palo Almond and Professor Gillian Bendelow shared information from two research projects that looked at the role of the internet in supporting young people and the impacts of Section 136 that took young people at risk into custody.

The discussion that followed the presentations highlighted two main themes that were of most concern in the local area

*The need to address this as an issue of urgency in the Hastings and Rother area

*The importance of community and peer groups in prevention and support.

Some of the points raised by the event included

A joined up approach at a strategic level and a joint vision for the town. It was acknowledged that there were pockets of good practice locally but that services were also being cut. Brighton was formerly the second highest suicide city in England and is now 11th and moving toward being designated as a suicide safe area. This is real evidence that things can be turned around with commitment and strong leadership.

Support for community and peer groups, important support often comes through peers as young people may not want to speak to adults or service providers, Groups such as BMX bikers and football supporters do however bring people of different ages together and offer valuable mentoring for young men. These groups could do with training in suicide prevention

Linking research more closely to real life issues, sharing the data that emerges from research in ways that people can use. There is useful research from Hastings, East Sussex and further afield, this needs to be better communicated with new research focusing on issues that are likely to have a direct impact on the town.

Increasing the number of safe places for people at risk of suicide, these are dwindling and research shows the harmful impact of taking someone with a mental health problem into police custody for safety. It is also not cost effective to use the cells to contain someone with severe mental health needs The need to address the low self-esteem in the town generally through a range of different interventions

If you would like to find out more about the Hastings Exchange follow the link below https://www.brighton.ac.uk/business-and-community-partnerships/strategic-partnerships/hastings-exchange/index.aspx

Or for the blog of the event http://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/exchange/2015/05/28/young-people-and-mental-health-self-harm-and-suicide-in-hastings-forum/