Mourant announces winner of 2019 Jersey Psychology bursary

Mourant has announced the winner of its annual Psychology essay writing competition, an initiative that aims to highlight the importance of mental health.

Now in its second year, the Mourant Psychology Essay Competition received a record number of entries from year 13 students in Jersey studying Psychology either at A Level or through the International Baccalaureate.

The winner, Nathan Healey from Hautlieu School, impressed the judges with his thoughtful and well evidenced essay that explored how solitary confinement may affect prisoners' mental health. Nathan was awarded a £350 bursary towards university visits and a £200 cash prize.

Mourant Counsel and sponsor of the programme, Sarah Huelin, said: "As an employer, we're committed to supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of our people and the wider community. This competition provides an excellent platform to encourage young people in Jersey to consider, talk openly and share their thoughts on mental health.

"We're thrilled to have attracted almost double the number of entries this year compared to 2018. The quality of the essays was very strong and we congratulate Nathan, Yasmin and Sian on their achievement and engaging in the dialogue on this important issue."

Second place in the competition was awarded to Yasmin Hayes for her essay that debated whether individuals with schizophrenia are predisposed to commit crime and third place was awarded to Sian Butler who considered the extent that the mental disorder, Pervasive Refusal Syndrome, is caused by erroneous cognitions.

The annual competition challenges psychology students to write a 1000 word essay on a topic relating to mental health in psychology, thinking independently and critically to demonstrate a genuine understanding of the subject matter.

Head of Psychology at Hautlieu School, Adrian Moss and competition co-ordinator, said: "Awareness of mental health, wellbeing and resilience is increasingly important in both the school and the work environment. This competition enables students to demonstrate an extension of their knowledge of Psychology in the area of mental health and raise their awareness of this topic.

"We're delighted to have received a record number of entries this year across a broader number of schools. It's a real testament to an increased interest in the subject of psychology and the issue of mental health. We're grateful to the Mourant team for their continued support in providing students with an opportunity to investigate this further and for placing a much needed spotlight on this increasingly relevant subject."

The competition entries were judged anonymously by Michelle Vaughan - Principal Educational Psychologist, Ruth Emsley - Principal Prison Psychologist (retiring) and Rachel Baxter - Senior Adviser with responsibility for teaching and learning and secondary curriculum from the Education Department.

2019 is the second of a three year commitment from Mourant to sponsor the competition as part of its global focus on mental wellbeing. The awards ceremony took place on Tuesday 24 September at their Jersey office.

PIctured above: Winners of the 2019 Mourant Psychology Essay Competition collected their prizes at an award presentation this month. (L to R) Head of Psychology at Hautlieu School, Adrian Moss, third place winner Sian Butler, first prize winner Nathan Healey, second place winner Yasmin Hayes and Mourant Counsel, Sarah Huelin.