My name is António Ferreira, and I am asking for support to continue an educational journey that began during one of the most difficult periods of my life.

When I was 16, during my first year of A levels, I experienced a serious mental health crisis and was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Before then, I knew very little about mental health.

My understanding of mental illness came largely from frightening stereotypes in films and television. I imagined it as something extreme and distant from ordinary life—more like the Joker from Batman than something that could affect someone like me.

Being admitted to the hospital changed that completely.

During my inpatient admission, I learned more about mental ill health than I ever had before. I began to understand and accept my own experiences, but I also met people whose stories stayed with me. I became aware of how rarely people who looked like me were represented in conversations about mental health, recovery and hope.

I wanted to support my peers and help create a future in which people from backgrounds like mine could see themselves represented, not only in stories of illness and crisis, but in stories of recovery, purpose and possibility.

I believed education would help me do that.

Because my studies had been disrupted, I returned to college to gain the UCAS points I needed to apply to university. I later received offers from all five universities I applied to and initially chose the University of Hull, hoping to follow a fast-track route towards becoming a clinical psychologist.

However, living so far away from my family while receiving different and sometimes contradictory support from local mental health services became difficult to manage. I experienced a relapse and was advised to move closer to home so that I could reconnect with the London mental health team that already knew me and understood my needs.

I transferred to the University of Essex in 2019. Since then, I have completed my foundation year and first year and have continued working towards my Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience degree.

The support I have received from the University of Essex has been incredible. The Psychology administrators have consistently had my back, my DDLO has always given me thoughtful and practical advice, and the University Wellbeing team has been a genuine pillar in helping me persevere. The university has also regularly supported my advocacy work and encouraged me to use my experiences to create positive change. Their support is one of the reasons I have continued to believe that completing my degree is still possible.

It has not been a straightforward journey.

There has been a constant tension between wanting to graduate and managing the effects of my mental health. I have experienced setbacks, interruptions and periods when continuing felt almost impossible. At the same time, I have become more resilient, developed a better understanding of my needs and continued building a life and career centred on helping others.

My ambitions have also evolved.

I originally wanted to become a clinical psychologist. Over time, my experiences in public speaking, campaigning and advocacy showed me that I also want to influence health and social care policy and contribute to meaningful systemic change, not only raise awareness.

I have been fortunate to build a public platform through my work. I have spoken and collaborated with organisations across mental health, policing, education, business, media and football. I have used my lived experience to challenge assumptions, improve understanding and advocate for people whose voices are too often overlooked.

These opportunities have shown me that I already have something valuable to contribute.

For many years, I attached my worth to education and believed that without a degree I would be nobody. I no longer believe that. I now understand that a qualification does not determine my value, and that the work I have already done matters.

However, completing my degree still matters deeply to me.

It would strengthen the work I already do, open further opportunities and allow me to finish a journey that began when I left hospital determined to understand mental health and support others with similar experiences.

Unfortunately, following previous exceptional circumstances during my studies, I have now exhausted my Student Finance tuition-fee entitlement.

To continue at university this October, I need to fund tuition fees of £9,250.

I want to contribute as much as I reasonably can. However, attempting to cover the full amount while studying, working, managing my health and being present for my family could place me at risk of burnout and undermine the goal I am trying to achieve.

I am therefore asking for support to remove this financial barrier and give me the best possible opportunity to succeed.

Every donation will go towards my university tuition fees for the next academic year. I will continue to cover my usual living and personal expenses myself.

If I do not reach the full target, any money raised will still bring me closer to meeting the £9,250 tuition fee while I continue exploring other sources of support and contributing what I reasonably can myself. My ability to continue this October will ultimately depend on securing enough funding to meet the university’s payment requirements. I will keep supporters fully updated and be transparent about any change to the plan.

Asking for help is not easy. However, I am determined to give this opportunity everything I have. I will keep supporters updated honestly throughout the journey, including the progress, challenges and milestones along the way.

Your support will help me continue studying Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Essex; move closer to completing the degree I began after leaving hospital; strengthen my work in mental health advocacy, public speaking, and systems change; and continue representing and supporting people whose experiences are too often overlooked.

Any contribution, regardless of size, would be greatly appreciated.

If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would also be an enormous form of support.

Thank you for reading my story, for believing in my journey, and for helping me continue what I started.

With gratitude,

António Ferreira