LONGHILL High School students have teamed up with a YouTube star to make a video to help combat stigma around mental health.

The powerful video features popular vlogger Saffron Barker, with derogatory words often used to abuse people with mental health issues written on her face in make up.

The video, part of the #IAMWHOLE campaign, has received a fantastic response from students in school assemblies.

Last September, Longhill pupils were challenged to launch an anti-stigma project as part of a city-wide #IAMWHOLE awareness day organised at the Amex Stadium.

Nine students from the school in Rottingdean worked on ideas for a video and an assembly, drafting in former pupil and vlogger Saffron, who is followed by hundreds of thousands of people on Instagram and YouTube.

In the video words including “attention seeker”, “mad” and “weirdo” are written on her face in make-up. The make-up is then blended to perfection on one half of her face leaving the other side covered in derogatory words.

It makes a striking image which hammers home the pain people with mental health issues often carry.

Saffron, 16, from Woodingdean, Brighton, said: “It was a great thing to be a part of.

“I’ve had so many of my YouTube fans that have seen the video contacting me saying they loved it.”

The video comes as Prime Minister Theresa May announced plans to transform attitudes to mental health with a focus on young people.

The #IAMWHOLE campaign, a Brighton-based project by the YMCA and NHS, was formed to raise awareness of the stigma associated with mental health difficulties.

According to the campaign more than one in three young people with mental health feel stigmatised.

Longhill pupils who made the video hope it will get their peers talking about mental health and the damaging effects of stigma, particularly that caused through social media.

Student Kaia Allen-Bevan, 14, said: “I think we need to be aware of mental health as it is a big issue so I’m glad I’ve been apart of this video.”

According to staff the video has really engaged the whole school on the topic.

Donna Rhodes, Longhill’s King House co-ordinator, said: “It has been very positive and quite a few teachers have told me how students have opened up to them and they can try and tackle issues now.”

Headteacher Kate Williams said: “The Longhill community has recognised the importance of mental health for quite some time and I’m extremely proud that we are part of the I am Whole campaign.

“I think the video that our own students and ex-students have produced is great. I hope it goes some way towards helping to remove the stigma attached to mental health.”

l You can see the video on The Argus website.