Youth Forum kicked off 2023 looking at children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing for the Somerset Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (SSCP). The SSCP asked them to consider the theme from a slightly different angle, by looking at good emotional health.
The group’s first action was a discussion around what makes them happy and how they would describe good emotional health. Youth Forum members dug deep and gave a wide range of answers, with clear themes surrounding family and friends, self-awareness, self-care, communication, resilience, environment and ‘being happy about how you feel’:
This gave he group a good jump off point to look at what young people need to achieve good emotional health and what the barriers might be. This discussion led to more themes arising around role models, positive influences, communication, good support systems, positive activities, and coping mechanisms:
Our final look at the topic was a more outward look, addressing what they would advise their friends to do, or not to do, if their emotional health was suffering. Themes from earlier sessions were reinforced, but in addition we saw themes of activities and hobbies, empathy and keeping up routines especially with regards to personal hygiene:
Youth Forum described this topic to be one that they could universally relate to, drawing from their own lived experience.
There was a clear awareness amongst the group that good communication is key, but that you need to have the right support network in place. Communication and support were key factors, coming up in almost every session.
Read the Youth Forum Good Emotional Health presentation HERE
