How do you build resilience in children and young people?

Childhood can be a wonderful, exciting time, full of joy, love, laughter and learning. All children and young people have a right to lead happy, contented lives and to grow with health, both physically and emotionally.

That’s a big statement to start a blog with isn’t it? But at Solutionspeak it’s something we really believe and that’s why our work is geared towards the wellbeing of children and young people.

resilience

Unfortunately, at times, children and young people, much like adults, experience difficulties with life. Such difficulties could be expressed through a young person’s behaviour, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and through problems coping with the challenges of everyday life. While it might be useful to explore these issues from a problem focus – to really understand the problem in fine detail – it might be just as useful to work towards potential solutions, to actually move away from the problem altogether. By doing this the starting point changes from the existence of mental health problems or indeed the tools to reduce those issues, to a more widespread development of those factors which enable good and positive mental health in children and young people.

We want to be really clear that when young people need services and inputs with regards to their mental health that help needs to be put in place and put in place quickly. But what if, as professionals who work with children and young people, rather than just being reactive to their problems we also work proactively by providing universal inputs for all young people, inputs that promote good mental health as a matter of course.

We know that when children and young people experience good mental health they do better in every way. School and home life is enjoyable, life in general just seems to be better with more friends they can rely on, they can deal with stress in a healthier manner and they grow up in in a world that is friendlier and more fulfilling. With these factors in play mental health issues are less likely to show their face.

So how do you build resilience in children and young people?

The whole approach is about helping children and young people to build their levels of resilience and in doing so help them navigate through the problems that they will experience as they move through life’s path. Through working in partnership with schools and educational organisations, Solutionspeak provides an innovative range of practical and inclusive resources to enhance the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.

Our programmes are designed to be useful to all young people in a school, not just those with mental health problems.

We aim to:
• Improve self-efficacy
• Increase self-esteem
• Improve behaviour
• Improve student goal setting and student goal attainment
• Promote teamwork and co-operation through good communication skills

Please click here for an overview of the way in which Solutionspeak works or get in touch to discuss the best solutions for your pupils.