As communities mark World Mental Health Day (10 October), ACL Essex, the adult learning provider, is highlighting the crucial role that learning, connection and community support play in protecting and improving mental wellbeing.
New figures reveal that 6,069 people died by suicide in England and Wales in 2023, the highest suicide rate since 1999. That’s 17 lives lost every day. Suicide rates for men rose to 17.4 deaths per 100,000, and for women to 5.7 per 100,000, the highest female rate since 1994.
Working closely with GP surgeries, schools, job centres, social prescribing link workers and local organisations, ACL Essex aims to help no one feel alone with their mental wellbeing. Through its Wellbeing and Community Learning programmes, the organisation offers free and low-cost courses designed to build resilience, manage stress and create supportive networks across the county.
Courses include Positive Habits for Wellbeing, Managing Anxiety, Mental Health in a Man’s World, Speak Easy: Breathing Techniques, Healthy Limits: Setting Boundaries, Wellbeing Art, and more. Many of these courses can be accessed through social prescribing, making it easier for individuals to receive early, community-based support in a safe and welcoming environment.
One learner, Delia Barber, shared how transformative her experience was: “The mental health programme made a massive difference to me. I was able to help the group I was in set up a friendship group so they could keep up the support after they left the programme.”
This World Mental Health Day, ACL Essex is encouraging residents to reach out, talk, and explore how learning can support their wellbeing.
Lisa Jarentowski, Principal, ACL Essex, explained why it’s so important to talk about our mental health. She said: “Mental health affects our learners, families and staff every day. We work in the heart of our communities to offer support to everyone with their mental wellbeing via our highly targeted courses. I’d really recommend that everyone has a conversation with their friends and family about mental health to ensure no one faces these challenges alone.”
To discover more and to enrol on a course, visit www.aclessex.com.
