Kenilworth student raising money for mental health placement in Sri Lanka

Katie Morbey, 20, a first-year psychology student at Bangor University, needs to raise £2,400 by May to cover her travel costs and expenses.

She will raise part of the money herself through working, but is currently trying to come up with fundraising ideas to help earn the rest.

Katie said: “I’m interested in mental health and helping people who have issues with it. But it’s quite difficult to get work experience.

“I thought this was a great opportunity for me.

“I’ve raised a little bit, and I’ve been trying to come up with fundraising ideas while I’m at university.”

Katie, who went to St John’s Primary School and later Kenilworth School, applied for the placement online, and she was accepted after a telephone interview.

She will be working with Sri Lanka Volunteering (SLV), who offer placements to psychology students to get experience in different environment.

Sri Lanka does not have the same kind of resources for dealing with mental health as the UK, so presents different challenges for people working in mental health.

SLV aims to combat mental health issues by improving confidence and teaching life skills to patients.

Katie will be focusing on four projects while in Sri Lanka: activity support to help patients in their recovery, teaching English to adults and children to improve career prospects, running activities for those with special needs, and an unspecified ‘community outreach’ project which Katie has yet to decide on.

Anyone wishing to donate should visit Katie’s fundraising page here