Youth board for mental health charity - The Jewish Chronicle

Gabriella Spillman’s struggles with anxiety once led to her missing three months of school. But as a result of her experiences, she is now committed to supporting others in need of help and spreading the word about the importance of mental health. The former Yavneh Primary School pupil, who is 13, is a member of a youth board which has been set up by Beyond, the charity founded by mental health campaigner Jonny Benjamin. Earlier this year Beyond launched the first mental health festival for schools and colleges in association with another initiative, Inside Out Day. Gabriella’s first experience with anxiety came when she was in a school play in year 6, a year after the death of an aunt. “I had a small part in it but I had to sing and dance which is something I’m not great at,” she recalled. “Just before the play started I hurt my foot and during my part in the play I ran off the stage crying and blamed it on my injury hurting. “Later on I realised it was because of anxiety and stage fright that it happened.” In year 7, she found it difficult to settle into secondary school. “Most days I would have a breakdown or a panic attack just before I went through the school doors. This went on for at least three months and happened every single day,” she said. “Some days I would manage to go in with much struggle but then I would end up having another panic attack and having to wait for my mum to collect me from school once again.” Her teacher’s inability to understand the problem made it harder for her to come to school. Eventually her mother found a therapist and while she still wrestles with anxiety, “it has never got that bad again”. She was introduced to Beyond by another aunt, an organiser of Inside Out Day. As part of her campain work, she took part in a panel discussion at Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue, highlighting the impact of social media on young people. The youth board will be helping to produce next year’s festival, due to take place on February 9. Beyond is also launching a national directory of mental health and wellbeing providers for schools, with grants of £4,000 available to schools who cannot afford providers’ fees. The charity has given funding for a school counsellor for JFS.