HUDDERSFIELD teenagers are being encouraged to re-think their attitudes to mental health.

Pupils aged 16 to 19 are being invited to take part in workshops this week to help promote wellbeing and expose myths surrounding self harm, eating disorders and anger management.

The move is part of a scheme by South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust to get young people thinking about mental illness and how it affects people.

A total of eight schools across Huddersfield, Halifax and Wakefield are being visited by Holmfirth-based learning experts Cragrats to take part in a series of thought-provoking theatrical scenarios and interactive workshops.

Bronwyn Gill, head of communications for the Trust, said: ‘We want to encourage young people to take an interest in their own mental health and to develop empathy for those around them who experience mental health problems.

“Working with Cragrats in school settings provides the opportunity to stimulate interest and to promote membership of our trust, to give young people a say in how services develop in the future. We hope that, through education, we can also help reduce the stigma people with mental health problems too often experience.”

The workshops – aimed at 1,400 youngsters – come after mental health figures showed how one in four people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year.

The shocking statistics also highlighted how 10% of children suffer mental health problems.

Lindsay Richards, CragRats Theatre in Education expert, said: “Mental health issues impact on so many people’s lives so it is really important that young people have an understanding of what mental illness is and that they are encouraged to discuss the issues around it openly.”

South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust is applying to be a Foundation Trust – a different type of NHS organisation based on membership.

Young people are being encouraged to join the trust as members and to have a say on how mental health and learning disability services are provided.

The trust already has almost 9,000 members across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield and in the wider Yorkshire and the Humber area.

South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust was also the first to use social networking website Facebook to connect with local people.

The trust's Facebook group is for people who are members of the trust or who are interested in becoming a member.

They can join in discussions, or start one of their own and make new contacts with like-minded people.