Young people call for compulsory mental health education in schools
New youth led report launched at Stormont
A week after a damning report by the children's commissioner, young people here are calling on schools to make mental health education compulsory.
The new campaign called 'Elephant in the room' is urging policy makers to introduce measures to help students.
These include training for teachers, drop in clinics and mental health lessons embedded in the curriculm.
Speaking at the launch event at Stormont on Thursday, Beth Vance from the youth mental health committee told us what needs to change:
"There needs to be a set standard of mental health services in schools alone because in my school there is a counsellor available but other schools don't even have a counsellor.
"So I think that one of the main things that needs to change is getting a set standard of services in schools as well as giving young people a chance to speak and making mental health a more openly talked about subject."
Over 1000 young people took part in the campaign through focus groups and surveys.
91% said mental health is a huge issue for them here.
Beth told Downtown Cool FM about her own experience:
"Myself personally, I was receiving counselling for a while through personal mental health issues and I do know a lot of people that are affected by it like best friends.
"There are so many people that go unspoken, it's a really secret issue."
The schoolgirl told us she wants others suffering to know that help is out there and hopes to influence policy makers when Stormont is reinstated:
"Personally I volunteered because I believe that mental health is such a big problem for young people and even through personal experience it's such a big issue and it's not talked about and it needs to be."
"In terms of trying to get help it was a mix of pride and...not shame but wanting to keep it on the down low that you were struggling because people treat you differently.
"Sometimes they patronise you and sometimes they treat you like you're fragile and you're about to break when you're not, you're just going through a rough patch and you need help.
"It was quite difficult to really admit that I needed to get help."
The SDLP's Mark H Durkan backed the campaign after losing his sister to suicide seven years ago.
He told us mental health issues can strike anyone at any time and said he felt compelled to get involved:
"I don't think anyone's immune to mental health issues.
"Every family across the north I'm sure will have been touched in some way or another.
"My own family has been touched by suicide, I lost a sister to suicide seven years ago this month.
"That's difficult it shows that no one is immune regardless of age, regardless of stage in life."