“The young do not know enough to be prudent, and so they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation.” – Pearl S. Buck

The above quote from Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck is one that exemplifies our philosophy at Mental Wealth, and I have found myself reflecting upon on its poignancy on countless occasions these past six weeks.

Many of you will have observed the recent report from the Royal College of Psychiatry, outlining the current threats to student mental health and stating that the risks are greater now than ever before. There’s no getting away from the fact that circumstances are very tough; tuition fees are at an all time-high, graduate employment has hit record lows and university support services UK-wide are trying to ride out the turbulence caused by the cuts. And yet, I find myself looking ahead with profound optimism. Why?

Because students themselves are standing up and taking action. They too are aware of these growing threats to student wellbeing, but they certainly aren’t sitting idly and accepting them. My trips to various UK universities have not painted a picture of a student population apathetic to these challenges, but rather one that has chosen to shape its own future and is doing so through simple grass-roots activism.

Our response to the 25by2012 campaign has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are now working with almost 30 universities across the UK to get student-led Mental Wealth groups established. Each of these groups is led by a core group of passionate students, so driven by the desire to see a happier student community at their institution that they are willing to sacrifice time that might otherwise be spent partying or studying.

This weekend saw the second year of our annual Leaders’ Summit event in Leeds. It brought together leaders from all corners of the UK for a day of inspiration and collaboration. Each of them has their own story and background, but they each has in common this same vision of a more positive, confident student community. It was a very powerful experience sharing a day with such a passionate and committed collective of students.

And they’re not the only ones. Nightline, SRSH and Student Hubs are all student-led initiatives borne out of a common desire to bring students together to tackle these issues. There is promise of unity and collaboration between these organisations in Mental Wealth UK as we move forward – an exciting step. These young student leaders have not chosen this path out of a wish for praise or recognition, but for the simple knowledge that they have made a significant positive change in the lives of all the students that they reach.

So again we see a generation of young people attempting what others might deem as ‘impossible’, and for whom this word doesn’t feature in their ambitions. I have every confidence that the movement will continue to grow, and it is a movement that I feel privileged to be a part of.

Nathaniel