A Bellshill school is introducing mental health training for senior students thanks to funding worth nearly £3000.

Cardinal Newman High School received £2500 from UKSE to implement the training.

The training will train students taking the SQA National 5 Mental Health and Wellbeing course.

They will use their skills to support peers and raise mental health awareness throughout the school.

The course was initially introduced into the school’s curriculum in 2014, and more than 150 students are now qualified (Image: BIG Partnership) The course was initially introduced into the school’s curriculum in 2014, and more than 150 students are now qualified.

The new funding will allow 40 students to participate in an additional certification during the 2024-25 academic year.

They will set up a 'safe space' to encourage peer support and help students understand their emotional development.

This support hub will be available to the school's 890 students.

Laura Ferguson, a PE teacher at Cardinal High School, has been instrumental in developing the training programme.

She said: "The SQA National 5 Mental Health and Wellbeing course is very significant, and we are very proud to be one of the first schools in Scotland to introduce it into our curriculum.

The new funding will allow 40 students to participate in an additional certification during the 2024-25 academic year (Image: BIG Partnership) "With this generous financial support from UKSE, students can access additional accreditations that will allow them to support not only their fellow pupils at Cardinal Newman High School but equip them with lifelong skills to support their mental health.

"We are proud to offer a safe space for young people to chat about their emotions and how they feel, but we are always looking at ways to build upon this and look forward to inspiring more pupils to learn about the importance of mental health."

Michele Johnson, administrator at UKSE, said: “It is extremely rewarding to support Cardinal Newman High School with its proactive and inspiring approach to raising awareness about mental health across the school community.

“We’re really looking forward to learning how the next cohort of Wellbeing Warriors benefit from the UKSE funding.”