Youngsters made a powerful case for mental health counsellors to be introduced into every school in the city. Girls from King Edward’s Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy spoke out to press city leaders to help them.
The school's leaders took to the stage at the annual assembly of Birmingham Citizens' UK, a community organisation supporting young people and communities. They told civic leaders mental health was among the most troubling issues flagged by their peers.
During a powerful presentation, the girls told the audience, gathered at the University of Birmingham: "The past two-plus years has been very tough for young people as the pandemic turned our lives upside down. We had to navigate school and home life with a virus spreading across our communities, causing so much disruption, and for some of our families a lot of pain as loved ones passed away.