Brief: Mental health can affect anyone, and there are many ways we can cope with mental illness: establishing and maintaining relationships, discussing our issues and taking action when possible. However, unfortunately there are stigmas surrounding mental health that we need to tackle.
Research: In Scotland, 75% of mental health problems faced by adults start before the age of 24, therefore targeting people aged 16-24 is key in tackling mental health issues in Scotland.
Concept: Encourage young people to write their feelings down and put them in a physical bottle - the Message in a Bottle. While what they write is kept confidential, the opportunities to share their feelings are shown in giant bottles which are hard to miss and will start a conversation.
Partnering with See Me Scotland, this campaign aims to change the way young people 'bottle' their feelings and create a safe space for them to talk and get advice.
Posters
Giant bottles will be placed around cities, where people can share questions, worries, messages of support and experience the therapeutic process of writing something down and throwing it into the bottle. As more and more people share their messages, there is a physical display of how many people are struggling with or are supportive of mental health issues.
Bottles will be placed in schools, colleges and universities, and the messages are anonymously reviewed by teachers/guidance counsellors. The topics from the Bottle can then be discussed in classes or on forums, meaning students can get answers to questions and advice about topics they don't feel comfortable discussing in person.
Water bottles with information about mental health and links to the See Me Scotland website will be given out at Freshers Fairs to target these young people as they transition into a new environment.
A forum on the See Me Scotland website will allow young people to submit their messages. The website will also host articles about some of the most asked questions and discussed topics.
