The pressures faced by young people today, growing up in a world of ‘everywhere, all of the time’ social media, are well beyond those encountered by previous generations. Sadly, not every young person is able to cope with those pressures, with the result that our schools are facing the challenge of students with mental health issues – a challenge that schools are under-resourced to meet.
The Lifting the Lid programme is a practical and straight-forward response to this need. Rotary clubs in the Hutt Valley are stepping up to raise funds that can quickly be channelled to local secondary schools to allow them to access professional counsellors and medical professionals and other intervention mechanisms.
In April this year, Lower Hutt Rotary Clubs championed the Harmony for Hope concert, with Orchestra Wellington and supporting solo performers. Rotary has created the Lifting the Lid Hutt Valley Charitable Trust, which is now applying funds raised from the concert and early-stage grants, at Hutt Valley High School, Naenae College, Wainuiomata High School and Taita College.