Mental health jar aids struggling students

Personalised “U R jars” are being promoted around New Zealand to help students cope with mental health issues.

Ailise Beales, 22, created the U R jar in 2017 after seeing a gap in the country’s mental health system. Ms Beals wanted to provide a safety net for when the system failed.

The jar is filled with suggestions written on popsicle sticks, including outdoor activities, songs to listen to and numbers to call to help someone feeling alone or out of control.

“Many of us know, in theory, how to care for ourselves. But when you’re in the depths of depression, that doesn’t often help,” she says.

After creating one for herself and two friends, who were also struggling with mental health, she began selling personalized jars for $20 online via Facebook, Instagram and her website theurjar.com.

“Each jar is customized and personalised, so no two are ever the same which lets the recipient know how much I genuinely care for their wellbeing,” she says.

Thanks to the success she has gained selling the jars online, she has begun sending jars to schools and travelling around the lower North Island to deliver U R Talks.

She says it’s an opportunity to tell her story and give students the tools and information they need to seek help.

“High school and university are such tumultuous periods of time in young people’s lives and with New Zealand’s youth suicide rate being so high, I think students need to know they’re not alone,” she says.

Janet Fanslow, associate professor of mental health development and promotion at Auckland University, says it is one strategy among many but the jars are definitely providing additional help.

“A proven strategy to help with mental health is actually doing things for other people and this jar is allowing students to do things for themselves and other people, social connection is good for all of us,” she says.

Ms Fanslow says overcoming mental health is a continuum and for some people therapeutic or medicated support may be needed when the jar is not enough.

Ms Beales says she doesn’t want to replace school and universities counsellors but wants the jar there to support them if they need.

Sophie Parkes, an AUT student, says taking a different approach to the discussion of mental health can only be beneficial as other approaches may not be working for some people.

“Being able to take the discussion of mental health and show some positivity through something that can be quite negative I think will really help a lot of young people,” she says.