Behind the campaign day from youth mental health charity stem4, here to encourage young people to #StrideForward towards positive mental health, despite a difficult year.
It is no secret that mental health concerns for young people have multiplied in recent times. Indeed, a stem4 survey in 2021 found that three in five young people say they are experiencing mental health difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, with negative and self-harm behaviours. The pandemic has undoubtedly contributed to this rise, with the ‘Resources’ page of stem4’s website, which hosts advice including tips on how to handle anxiety, seeing an increase in views of over 1000% during lockdown versus the period before.
To support young people during this difficult period, stem4 issued a record number of resources, tips, and advice, including several comprehensive COVID-19 mental health advice booklets for parents /carers, health professionals and teenagers respectively. Each provided helpful information and practical advice on how to protect the mental health of young people, and were translated into Bengali, Urdu, Turkish, Polish, Arabic and Lithuanian to reach as many members of the community as possible. The charity also developed special videos guides, helping young people to use self-help apps Calm Harm, Clear Fear and Move Mood to help mitigate any concerns young people may have had with self-harm, anxiety, or depression respectively due to COVID-19.
This increase in mental health concerns, and the experience of this difficult period does not mean, though, that young people are without hope. Whilst 27% say they feel anxious, fearful or worried about the future, and 13% felt overwhelmed, a much larger proportion (41%) described themselves as optimistic or hopeful. Youth Mental Health Day is here to harness that hope.
Indeed, stem4 has provided interested schools, youth groups, and communities across the country with information packs filled with ideas and activities to help young people rebuild their confidence, reinstate their ambitions, and go on to achieve their future goals. Through these resources, young people will be encouraged to reflect on their feelings about the last year, express their future goals creatively (for example through music, art, or creative writing), and then take positive strides forward. Further, on 7th September, young people and adults alike are invited to share their #StrideForward goals and messages on social media – joining in to form a collective voice for positive change.
We do hope you will be able to join us in supporting young people on this positive journey to change by getting involved in the conversation online. Be sure to tag us @stem4org, and use the hashtags #YMHD & #StrideForward.
Biography
Founded by Clinical Psychologist Dr Nihara Krause, stem4 is an award-winning charity aimed at supporting positive mental health in teenagers. With 1 in 8 children and young people aged between 5-19 presenting with at least one diagnosable mental health condition*, stem4 works to enhance early understanding of mental illness, boost mental wellbeing and resilience, and signpost towards prompt action and intervention.
In order to carry out this mission, the charity educates individuals, parents, teachers and communities through the provision of interactive conferences, digital educational resources such as ‘Head Ed’ and a comprehensive website. Further, the charity has identified the widespread use of mobile phones as potential means for change, resulting in the development of apps such as ‘Calm Harm’ for dealing with urges of self-harm, ‘Clear Fear’ to help with anxiety, ‘Move Mood’ for manging low mood/depression, and ‘Combined Minds’ for family and friends of those dealing with mean ill health.
stem4 are also founders of Youth Mental Health Day, an annual campaign that encourages understanding and awareness of mental health in young people, enabling them to live happy and healthy lives all year round.
* (NHS Digital 2017)
