Mustafa Sheikh has developed a website called Click Check, an online mental health tool for young people that he's hoping to implement in schools around the country. Photo/Sylvie Whinray
Mustafa Sheikh has developed a website called Click Check, an online mental health tool for young people that he's hoping to implement in schools around the country. Photo/Sylvie Whinray
It takes courage to speak up about your mental health but an email a fortnight could remove that barrier for hundreds of thousands of young Kiwis.
But an expert has warned that, while it is worth trialling, technology will always be secondary to good relationships with the adults in their lives.
Musician and charity founder Mustafa Sheikh has experienced the pain of losing family and friends to suicide and decided to do something about it.
"I really questioned why did they do what they did? There's nights where I just can't sleep. I think about them a lot - the fact that I'll never get to see them again, I'll never get to hear their voice again."
The 26-year-old has developed a new programme called Click Check which aims to help young people speak up before it's too late - and it's got the backing of a host of big names including Stan Walker, Joseph Parker, Ma'a Nonu, Olympic sprinter Yohan Blake and Kendrick Nunn of the Miami Heat.
A bunch of big names are backing the development of Click Check. Image/Supplied
"Over the past year I've just really been focusing on how can we make these kids feel valued. Quite often these kids might not have anyone that checks up on them so how can we create a system that shows these kids, 'someone cares about you and someone cares about your well-being and your value'."
The programme will regularly send each student an email containing a link to a page which asks them a series of yes/no questions about whether they have had any issues and if they need to talk to someone.
If the check-in system detects someone needs help it will send an alert to their teacher or school counsellor.
"It's often so hard, especially as a kid, to go to a grown-up and say, 'Hey this guy's bothering me'. The beauty of this is they always have that link sitting there so they know, whenever they have an issue, they can just click on that, press a button and a teacher will approach them and already have an understanding of what's at hand," he said.
"It's easier to speak up on a digital platform rather than having to muster the courage in person. "
Clinical psychologist Jacqui Maguire said it was an interesting idea worth trialling with willing participants.
However she cautioned that while technology could encourage some young people to ask for help, trusting relationships were still they key.
Unless the students had a good relationship to the staff member who would be alerted they were unlikely to answer honestly, she said.
"What we do know is that something needs to change, as our young people are struggling. My gut would tell me that forming and sustaining very solid relationships with parents, teachers and other key adults is critical - both so that they feel they have somewhere to turn too, but also so that there are adults that can easily spot signs of change and follow up," she said.
As well as the questions, the URL would provide what Sheikh calls "meme therapy".
"It shows them five to six bursts of memes. The whole thing is to get them sitting in a group looking at these funny images and just feeling happy. No matter what is happening that day they can feel happy and smile at these images," he said.
Wesley Intermediate teacher Jacob Walker said vocalising what was going on was often really hard for students so a tool like Click Check would help them start a dialogue about issues quickly and easily.
"It starts that process of getting help when it's needed - not three months later."
Sheikh, who also founded the charity Bread, has also been working with AUT's well-being and IT teams who were supportive of the idea.
Mustafa Sheikh has experienced the pain of losing family and friends to suicide and decided to do something about it. Photo/Sylvie Whinray
Head of the Vice Chancellor's office Dr Andrew Codling said mental health was a serious matter, especially for young people "who are dealing with growing up, sometimes under difficult circumstances".
"So please accept our support for the concept you have developed, and our hope that it is successfully implemented and will make a significant difference to the lives and wellbeing of those who use it."
A bunch of big names are backing the development of Click Check. Image/Supplied
Musician Stan Walker said he was backing the project because he knew how crucial mental health was.
"Our youth, our rangatahi, need our help more than ever," he said. "Mental health is really, really important. There have been numerous times in my career I wouldn't have succeeded if I didn't focus on my mental well-being. It's okay to talk about it and seek help."
Sheikh's aim was to have the free tool available to year 6 to 13 students in all decile 1-6 schools - more than 200,000 young people.
