Barking & Dagenham College has signed up to a new national mental health and wellbeing charter.

Created by the Association of Colleges in conjunction with mental health experts, the charter includes commitments to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and challenging mental health stigma.

It also commits to providing appropriate mental health training for staff and targeted individual support where appropriate.

The college's executive director of people and organisational development Janet Curtis-Broni signed the charter on World Mental Health Day, October 10.

She said: "Our students and staff are always at the centre of what we do and (this) marked our commitment to supporting students and staff with their mental health and wellbeing."

The commitment will support for 12,500 students and 450 staff at the college.

Colleges across England teach and train 2.2 million people each year, including 685,000 young people.

One in 10 young people experience a mental health problem and 20 per cent of those aged 16-24 experience a common mental illness such as anxiety or depression at any one time.

Three quarters of adults with a diagnosable mental health problem experience their first symptoms before the age of 24.

Association of Colleges mental health lead Richard Caulfield said: "Every day colleges like Barking & Dagenham College provide a world class education and transform the lives of millions of people.

"This includes providing support for both staff and student wellbeing at the right time, in the right place."