Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, MSP for the Highlands and Islands, has signed up to ‘Think Positive’, a campaign run by NUS Scotland to tackle mental health issues among students in Scotland.

It is estimated that over 9000 students in the Highlands and Islands will suffer from mental ill health at some point in their lives. Across Scotland it is estimated that up to 140,000 students currently studying at college and university will experience mental health problems.

Dave Thompson said: "If such numbers of students are facing potential mental health problems then it is crucial that effective support services are available at colleges and universities throughout Scotland, and NUS Scotland’s Think Positive project is working hard to ensure that this is the case.

"I was very pleased to sign up to NUS Scotland’s Think Positive campaign. Mental health among students is clearly a very important issue, after all there is no reason why we should allow mental ill health to hold back talented people across Scotland.

"I will be keeping up with the work of Think Positive to see how I can get involved to help students in my own region/constituency/area and across Scotland."

Kainde Manji, NUS Scotland Women’s Officer, said: "NUS Scotland’s Think Positive campaign is working with students, colleges and universities across Scotland to tackle mental ill-health among students. We believe that mental health is becoming a bigger issue across colleges and universities in Scotland and it is therefore more important than ever that we work to get the support services that people need.

"It’s great to have the support of politicians from across all parties for this valuable project and we will be working hard over the coming months and years to come together to make a difference for students suffering mental ill health."

Notes:

Think Positive is a project run by the National Union of Students in Scotland to tackle the stigma of mental ill health, raise awareness of this issue among students, college and university staff and the general public.

1. NUS Scotland asked MSPs took photos of MSPs with a display of ‘what made them feel positive?’

2. NUS Scotland estimate of numbers of students at college or university that will suffer from mental ill health at some point in their lives using analysis of headcount and full time equivalent figures for students in Scotland.

Students who will experience mental ill-health 
Parliamentary region           
Central Scotland        19040  
Glasgow         20215  
Highlands and Islands   9600   
Lothians        17110  
Mid Scotland and Fife   18090  
North East Scotland    18980  
South of Scotland       15175  
West of Scotland        18420  
Unknown / Not Applicable        4895<   
Total   141520 
Local authority        
Highlands       4660   
* For data protection purposes all figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Totals have been rounded independently and might not equal the sum of their component parts. These are estimates based on FTE and headcount figures for colleges and universities in Scotland. These statistics have been compiled on the basis that around one in four people will experience mental ill health in their life.

3. Think Positive is a project run by NUS Scotland with funding from the Scottish Government. The project aims to tackle the stigma around mental health issues for students in Scotland, raising awareness, conducting research and recommending action to make a difference for students in Scotland.