Stigma to Strength - Season 1
What's the latest stigmatised topic amongst young people? How do we turn this stigma into strength when it comes to our mental health? Charlie Waller Student Ambassadors Kyanne Graham and Eliza Antelme explore various topics with special guests and other young people. They'll be having honest conversations about the highs and lows of growing up whilst pointing you in the direction of helpful resources.

Ep 1: Freshers' Fear
In this episode Eliza and Kyanne discuss the ups and downs of Freshers' Week. They have honest conversations about the drinking culture at uni, the impact of the cost of living crisis on students and looking after your well-being during freshers weeks.

Ep 2: Spending time alone
In this episode, Kyanne and Eliza discuss spending time alone. They have honest conversations about the stigma around spending time alone and how it can be changed into a positive thing to do for your wellbeing.

Ep 3: Life Transitions
In this episode, Kyanne and Eliza discuss life transitions. They have honest conversations about the challenges of moving into 6th form, moving house and the transition between term time and the holidays. They discuss the stigma around the fear of big life changes and top tips on how to cope with them.

Ep 4: Male Body Image with Ben West
In this episode, we have a very special guest Ben West joining us to discuss male body image. Ben is one of the UK’s leading mental health campaigners. Ben is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, including suicide prevention and pushing for essential systematic changes in the governmental and educational approaches. We chat to Ben about the stigma attached to male body image, the various factors that contribute to these struggles.

Ep 5: Your Mental Health Toolkit
In this episode Kyanne and Eliza discuss what a mental health toolkit is and how you can build your own. The things we do to maintain our wellbeing are unique to each person, they chat about what works for them and fellow ambassadors such as exercise, creativity and sleep. Kyanne and Eliza have conversations about how to continue using your mental health toolkit when going through challenges in life.

Ep 6: Friendships
In this episode, Kyanne and Eliza discuss friendships. This is a topic which is often spoken about when a child and discussed much less as a young adult even though the challenges are still present. Kyanne and Eliza have honest conversations about making friends, comparison, setting boundaries and long-distance friendships.

Ep 7: Revision and Exams Stress
In this episode, Kyanne and Eliza discuss the challenges exams and revision can have on your wellbeing. They have honest conversations about comparison with friends and family members with both revision and exam results. Kyanne and Eliza talk about their top tips for looking after your mental health in the lead to exams and straight after. As well as the challenges of receiving your results whether you are happy or disappointed with them.

Ep 8: Entering the World of Work
In this episode, Kyanne and Eliza have a special guest Patrick Regan joining them to discuss the world of work. Patrick is a fellow ambassador for the trust and is currently working full time. They have honest conversations about the challenges of applications and dealing with rejection. A huge struggle for young people entering the workplace is comparison to others, they offer their own experience and top tips.
Stigma to Strength - Season 2
Charlie Waller Student Ambassador Ginya Marr is our new host for season 2! Stigma to strength is a podcast that opens dialog on mental health and the highs and lows of adolescents. Ginya will be joined by fellow ambassadors to cover a range of topics chosen for and by the youth ambassadors whilst pointing you in the direction of helpful resources.

Ep 9: Stigma around taking medication for your mental health
Trigger warning: this episode includes discussions around medication for mental health and suicidal thoughts. Please note: If you are experiencing side effects from your medication, go back and check with GP if any side effects don’t go away, there are lots of different options to try.
In this episode of Stigma to Strength, Ginya talks to fellow student ambassadors, Amy and Sophie, about the stigma around taking medication for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. The conversation covers a fascinating range of views and experiences which we think a huge number of young people will relate to. They also cover issues such as their experiences of side effects, combining medication with talking therapies, and the importance of self-care.

Ep 10: On balance and routine as a young professional
In this episode of Stigma to Strength, Ginya talks to fellow student ambassador Patrick and trust supporter Connor Kelly, about finding balance and routine as a young professional. This insightful conversation covers a range of topics and and experiences which we think a huge number of young people will relate to. They also cover topics such as moving away from pub culture, speaking out about mental health as a male and the importance of self-care.

Ep 11: Being Autistic and living a good life
In this episode of Stigma to Strength, Ginya talks toIn this episode Andy talks to Ginya about being Autistic. They acknowledge increasing education around language and neurodiversity and discuss the stigma and misunderstandings that remain societally. Andy calls for people to talk to autistic people about their individual needs and recognise that if they’ve met one autistic person, they’ve met one autistic person, and should not then form broader assumptions.

Ep 12: Milestones & Mindset
In this episode of Stigma to Strength, host Ginya talks to fellow student ambassador Emma. They discuss navigating adolescence and adulthood. Emma shares their unconventional path, including their struggles with dyslexia and the impact of COVID-19 on their education. They emphasises the importance of self-validation, lifelong learning, and finding a supportive community. They both stress the significance of personal growth and setting personal milestones that align with individual values rather than societal expectations.