The mental health impact of COVID-19 is near incalculable. It has affected, and continues to affect, social suffering and economic challenges. Due to how lockdown affected the wellbeing of students and young people, entrepreneur and LSST Birmingham business student, James Crystal, has launched a charity initiative to get the UK talking about mental health. Why? To change the way we all perceive mental health.
Be; Live, a live event hosted by former SKY Sports News Presenter Simon Thomas, aims to educate, inspire and empower people around the topic of mental health, while raising vital funds for independent mental health charities who provide free mental health services on the front line.
The event, happening on 2nd April 2022, either virtually or at in person at Birmingham’s Gas Street Central, will feature a host of speakers who will share their own personal stories of survival. The event sponsored by some of the UK’s top brands will be free to all LSST and UK university students. You can register for free at www.belive.org.uk.
Praising his LSST Lecturers and peers, Business (Y3) student and Be; Live Founder, James said: ‘After years of poor mental health, I eventually hit rock bottom. I didn’t think I was ever going to recover and the support I needed wasn’t easily available. Today my life has been transformed. My lived experience is deeply ingrained in who I am, and I am now using it to help create something positive for others.
Be; Live aims to support people to overcome their struggles, giving them a sense of belief that they can recover too. After reading the negative stats about how COVID affected young people specifically, I hope the offer of free places to students will go a long way in changing them for the better.’
Mohsin Riaz, Dean of LSST Birmingham, added: ‘James has produced an amazing and uplifting concept that he formulated into a meaningful method. It will really help a lot of people during this unprecedented and extraordinary time.’