A DEDICATED space for students to learn about mental health both at work and among friends has been unveiled at City of Oxford College.

Last year, education providers Activate Learning began a partnership with Littlemore charity Response, which offers housing and for adults with mental health problems.

Staff from the charity are working from a sponsored 'Response Room' at the college's Oxpens Road base to give health and social care students a taste of what they do.

Response CEO John McLaughlin said: "Students get much richer training by people who actually do the job and also have placements with Response.

"So far we have had 12 students work alongside staff, getting to meet service users and get to know people who have lived experience of mental health.

"It also gives us access to the workforce of the future. Activate has had other industry organisations in like BMW, but we are the first health and social care organisation."

Students at the college have so far helped Response supporting older adults and people using its sports and physical activity arm, Coasters.

About 45 people are studying for the Health and Social Care Diploma Level 2 and 3 at City of Oxford College at any given time, and eligible for placements so will benefit from the room.

But hundreds of staff and students will also benefit from mental health awareness training from Response so they can better look after themselves and their peers.

Level 3 student Taf Mutero has already taken on two placements at Response. He said: "On the first one I worked at a care home near Littlemore for two weeks.

"The second one was at Coasters. Before that I wanted to do adult nursing but actually it made me want to do mental health."

Jon Childs, faculty manager at Activate, said: "Our link with Response provides excellent work opportunities for students to progress.

"It is a very exciting time for our department with our employer links growing and the new care suite being installed. We can look forward to developing a very strong curriculum over the next few years with great opportunities for our students."

The classroom launch coincides with Children's Mental Health Week, which runs from February 6 to 12.

Childline this week announced it had received 50,000 calls from young people about mental health over the course of last year.

Mr McLaughlin said: "Charities in Oxfordshire are seeing a huge increase in teenagers reporting mental illnesses.

"Young people really need to learn to look after their own mental wellbeing, and also look out for signs in friends that they are struggling.

"We talk to people about how it affects people and coping strategies, from mild to moderate anxiety right up to psychotic illnesses, and what treatments are available."