EDM 747: S.M.I.L.E. counselling's contribution to mental health support for young people

That this House recognises the exceptional work of Supporting, Motivating, Inspiring, Leading to self-determination, and Empowering (S.M.I.L.E.) young people by S.M.I.L.E. since 2015; praises S.M.I.L.E.’s mission of ensuring that every individual has access to the mental health support they need, regardless of circumstance; recognises the pain and angst many children experienced during lockdown and the need to promote mental health conversations and support such as S.M.I.L.E; acknowledges S.M.I.L.E.’s wide range of services, including one-to-one counselling, school-based support, community education, and training programmes, all designed to equip young people and professionals with the skills to tackle mental health challenges and build resilience; thanks S.M.I.L.E. for providing over 16,000 hours of counselling to nearly 3,000 young people; further thanks S.M.I.L.E. for training over 1,000 people in mental health awareness and suicide prevention as a valued contribution to tackling the mental health crisis and supporting NHS services; and highlights the need for early intervention mental health services for all young people.