Hi everyone, I hope that you have all been enjoying the Summer and getting back out there to a more normal life following the pandemic.
On the 7th September, here at asphaleia, we will be celebrating Youth Mental Health Awareness Day. We will be encouraging all young people to think about how they are moving forward following the pandemic and lockdowns.
20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year. And this likelihood increases for young people with SEN and other disabilities, those who are in care, LGBTQ+, and/or UASC. According to a Young Minds survey on young people aged 13-25 in January 2021, 67% of respondents believed that the pandemic will have a long-term negative effect on their mental health. T
World Mental Health day is on October 10th and so during the weeks between these two days we will be filling our social media pages with our young people’s ideas and plans on how they will be moving forward using the hashtag #strideforward
So, we want to hear from all our young people! We want to know how they have been using their strengths and resilience. Our young people are such an inspiration.
In addition we want to know how young people want to be listened to, what we can do to help and what young people want to see on our social media sites that will help keep them engaged and connected, especially with regards to their mental health. We want to put young people’s voice at the centre.
SO……we invite our young people to give us a statement with the hashtag #strideforward.
For example: I go for daily walks, this helps my mental health #strideforward, I love being back with my friends at school #strideforward
We will also be holding forums and talking with our young people to find out more about how they like to be listened to and what they need from us.
We would love to see some art work and colourful collages from our young people to express what striving forward looks like for them. Please feel free to wear or use the colour purple to acknowledge and support our mental health campaign.
We realise that if you're struggling with your mental health, the idea of striving forward and setting goals might feel overwhelming. The important thing is to not put pressure on ourselves. Achieving a goal is a great thing no matter how small it may be.
Here are 4 tips to help you stride forward:
1. Re-establish relationships with others – human connection plays a vital role in our mental and physical wellbeing.
2. Supporting each other – by offering a friend, a family member or colleague non-judgmental support and just listening to them can mean a great deal and go a long way in helping them feel better. Stay hopeful with them.
3. Accept that we all move at different paces – while some people are keen to go back to normal life, others are still very worried. Please be patient and understanding with those who are taking a while to re-adjust.
4. Prioritise your mental health – even prior to the pandemic, anxiety and depression were at very high levels. The toll of the pandemic is likely to be carried forward. Explore online help and therapy. Use meditation to help you relax. Be kind to yourself.