Support for facilitators
During the sessions young people may ask questions or discuss topics that you may not know how to support them with. This really is OK – you are not an expert in everything. The best thing to do in these situations is state that you do not know but offer empathy. You can also direct them to other resources such as:
- YoungMinds YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds
- NHS every mind matters web page Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- The Headspace app is great for mindfulness practices
- They can also seek some support from the My Possible Self app
You can also suggest they seek further support from their GP.
When delivering these sessions, remind children that each of these topics is a SKILL. Skills can be taught and improved with practice. Inform children that it is like driving a car; no one is born knowing how to drive, it is something that you must be taught. Practice, practice more and then practice some more. Eventually it becomes second nature to the point where we do these skills automatically. That is what these skills can become for the young people.
It is also important to remember that not all skills will work for all young people – that is OK. Even if only 1 or 2 skills work, then that is 1 or 2 skills that they didn’t have previously, to help them live healthier and happier lives.
We hope that this course can support young people to develop their resilience and coping skills to become healthier happier adults.
NB. In the videos young people may also be referred to as students.
