Refugee student says mental health “not talked about much” before moving to Toowoomba
The concept of mental health was one of the many culture shocks Year 11 student Rezgar Qado experienced when he escaped war-torn Iraq with the refugee thankful for events like mental health week.
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Having successfully fled his war-torn home country of Iraq with his family five year ago, 17-year-old Rezgar Qado considers himself one of the lucky ones.
Knowing of other refugee families torn apart by death or relatives left behind, the Toowoomba State High School student said things could have been much worse.
At his high school’s annual mental health expo, the Year 11 student has reflected on the mental health struggles of some of his peers.
“Some students who came from my country went through a difficult situation where their parents got killed in front of them and escaped ISIS territory, it was hard for them,” Mr Qado said.
With a war unfolding before his eyes as a child, the young Yazidi man had other things on his mind other than mental health.
But now as he gets ready to assume the role of school captain next year, Mr Qado was becoming informed on the support available to him and the students he will represent.
“In our country it’s not talked about much, I really didn’t know about mental health until school taught me,” Mr Qado said.
“It’s really hard to forget what happened to [my refugee peers] so I want to support them in any way I can.”
Youth leader at Toowoomba Regional Council and incoming 2023 school captain Daisy Reynolds was well aware of mental health and its impacts, having advocated to local councillors for services and having experienced difficulties herself.
“Stress is certainly something that I didn’t respect the value of before but now I’ve learnt to move on from it,” she said
This year more than 35 mental health support services informed Toowoomba State High School students of help available to them as counselling staff noted an influx of students experiencing homelessness and domestic violence.
“Knowing that there are all of these services available makes you feel less alone,” Ms Reynolds said.
“Even after you leave school, even if you change schools, they’re here to help you.”
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