UPDATE: Parents of a teenager who tragically took his own life are urgently calling for schools to prioritize mental health education. Ibolya Sandor, 51, and Szabolcs Veres, 56, lost their son, Soma Veres, just 15 years old, in February 2022. The couple warns that schools are “shutting the door” on crucial suicide-prevention conversations, leaving students vulnerable to the same fate.
Soma, a bright student at Kirkwall Grammar School, struggled with depression and bullying before his untimely death. The couple has since founded Soma’s Light, a charity dedicated to enhancing mental health support for youth in Orkney. They aim to reduce stigma and promote education on suicide prevention. However, despite their efforts, the couple reports that schools continue to avoid discussing the topic.
Ibolya Sandor expressed her frustration, stating, “Schools have given us the cold shoulder when we’ve offered to deliver suicide-prevention workshops.” She highlighted the misconceptions surrounding these discussions, saying, “They are saying things like ‘We don’t want to open a can of worms’ or ‘We don’t want to plant ideas in their heads.’”
This urgent situation comes as the Daily Record launched the Save Young Lives campaign in response to the alarming number of young Scots dying by suicide. The campaign demands that mental health training becomes mandatory in schools. Ibolya emphasized, “If enough people support this, we can make training mandatory in schools.”
Szabolcs, a lecturer at the University of the Highlands and Islands, added, “We believe Soma would still be here if he’d been taught the tools he needed to navigate what he was feeling in school.” He lamented the lack of education on mental health issues, stating that Soma “didn’t want to leave us – he just didn’t know how to stay.”
Since Soma’s death, the community has faced further tragedy, with six additional young suicides reported in Orkney. Szabolcs noted, “Kids are approaching us directly. They want to understand mental health – not just for themselves but for their friends.” He criticized the schools for their continued silence on the topic, calling it “unbelievable.”
The couple urges the Scottish Government to prioritize mental well-being over academic achievements. Szabolcs remarked, “If you focus on wellbeing first, academic achievement follows.” Ibolya added, “Learning cannot take place if a young person does not feel safe.”
In response, an Orkney Islands Council spokesperson acknowledged the need for open discussions about mental health. They emphasized their commitment to equipping young people with practical strategies to support their well-being. Recently, young people from across Orkney participated in the “Your mind, your voice, your future” conference, focusing on mental health and self-care.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government expressed condolences for those affected by suicide and highlighted the £16 million annual funding for school counseling services. They stated, “Every suicide death is a tragedy, and our aim is for anyone at risk or affected by suicide to get the help they need.”
Despite these efforts, Ibolya and Szabolcs remain adamant that more must be done to address mental health in schools. They believe that Soma’s legacy can drive change and help prevent other families from experiencing similar loss. “We are joining this fight to prevent other families going through this unbearable pain,” Ibolya declared.
As the conversation around mental health continues to grow, the urgent need for effective education and support in schools has never been clearer. The couple’s fight for change is a poignant reminder of the impact that proactive education can have on saving lives.
