Courses and Qualifications

At Braes, we recognise a need for raising awareness of mental health and the relevant issues surrounding mental health.

There is currently a major gap in knowledge surrounding mental health and wellbeing which requires to be addressed. Most people learn what they know about mental illness from the media. Many radio, television and newspaper accounts present people with mental illness as violent, criminal, dangerous, comical, incompetent and fundamentally different from other people. These inaccurate images perpetuate unfavourable stereotypes, which can lead to the rejection, marginalisation and neglect of people with mental illnesses.

This qualification seeks to address the inaccuracies surrounding perceptions of mental health and, instead, provide accurate information, promote understanding and equip learners with positive coping strategies to improve and maintain mental health and wellbeing. The award aims to:

· reduce stigma surrounding mental health.

· arm young people with healthy coping strategies.

· promote knowledge of the impact of mental health on behaviour.

· dispel myths surrounding mental health.

· promote understanding of positive and negative impacts on mental health.

· help individuals to make the right choices.

· promote understanding of the potential uses and impact of social media and the internet.

· create resilience.

These awards in Mental Health and Wellbeing support the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy 2017–2027. Its guiding ambition for mental health is simple but, if realised, will change and save lives: ‘We must prevent and treat mental health problems with the same commitment, passion and drive as we do with physical health problems.’

The awards at Level 4 in our Junior school curriculum and as an offer in S5 and S6 cover the following:

· an understanding of mental health

· influences on mental health

· coping strategies