Elsa Arnold

Background

About Elsa Arnold

After starting to campaign alongside national organisations at the age of fourteen, I have been involved in mental health activism for eight years. Speaking on prominent platforms at both a local and national level, including to Live BBC News and Radio, I share my own experiences of mental health challenges, and actively call for better support for those trying to access mental health care. I have sat on advisory boards for charities including YoungMinds, Mind, The Samaritans, The Diana Award, Flamingo Chicks and more, with current roles including programme lead for Flamingo Chicks' Agents of Change, and an active Young Advisor at The Diana Award to help improve youth voice and participation practices at the charity. I am committed to being a part of transforming the landscape of young people's mental health through all of the work I engage with, and believe in the power we all have to be a part of creating change in our communities. In 2018 I started the initiative 'Spreading Kindness Through E11', a powerful movement bringing people together to support those most in need in East London. It continues to run today through local businesses, which I lead as Community Outreach Coordinator, and offer community engagement support to all businesses interested in starting their own outreach work. Now aged 23, I host events, am a powerful public speaker and share my own experiences and learnings to help impact others positively. My talks and workshops have been described as thought-provoking, emotional and impactful for schools, students, education staff and businesses. With 6 years of experience in speaking and facilitation, I am an advocate for exploring challenging topics creatively, to harness deeper thought and connection that exists inside us all, and when unlocked allows us to become more empathetic and supportive to those around us. I am proud to be partnered with number of organisations, businesses and individuals, and am interested in exploring all collaborations with anyone who would like to discuss this.