Youth Conference 2024: Mental Resilience

Students - Get ready to ignite your mental resilience and embrace empowerment at our upcoming Youth Conference!

Date: Friday 19 April 2024
Location: Goldsmith University
Who: Years 5 to 13 students from all Haberdashers' Academies Trust South schools
Max Attendance: 270 students (30 from each school)

Our annual Youth Conference takes place on Friday 19 April at Goldsmiths University. In partnership with our Youth Advisory Board, we've crafted an exciting programme focused on nurturing mental well-being and resilience. Backed by clinical psychologists from Kove and Kings College London, this year’s theme of ‘Mental Resilience’ seeks to empower and equip pupils to navigate life's challenges with strength and adaptability.

Our workshop leads bring a wealth of knowledge and guidance. They include representatives from Citizens UK, Kove Minds, RE-STAR Initiative and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

The Youth Conference will:

Develop Enhanced Resilience Skills: Help pupils build mental resilience to overcome challenges and stress through practical strategies and skills.
Promote Positive Mental Health Practices: Promote mental resilience through mindfulness, self-care, and healthy coping mechanisms.
Build a Supportive Community: Create a supportive network for pupils to share experiences, offer encouragement, and build mental resilience.
Empower Through Education: Educate on mental resilience factors, like positive mindset, emotional regulation, and adaptability to change.
Inspire for Advocacy and Leadership: Encourage pupils to champion mental resilience and develop leadership skills to influence attitudes towards it positively

As part of our Haberdashers’ Advantage programme, 30 pupils from each school will attend the day in person, while resources and key learning from the conference will be shared with all pupils following the event.

Mental Resilience Workshops

Citizens UK

Citizens UK are the UK’s biggest, most diverse, and most effective people-powered alliance. They overcome injustice by bringing together everyday people and local organisations to build a better, fairer society.

Workshop Title: Building an Engaged Community: 121s and Change-making (Citizens UK)
Workshop Leader: Emilia Campos
Workshop Description:

Do you feel like there is an engaged student body in your school? Do you feel that your voice is valued? Join Community Organisers from Citizens UK to learn hands-on methods for building and strengthening relationships within the student community and to make changes to the things that matter to you.

Kove Minds

Kove Minds is a pioneering organisation dedicated to supporting the mental health and well-being of children and young people, as well as providing invaluable assistance to schools. At its core, Kove Minds aims to create a nurturing environment where children and adolescents can thrive emotionally, academically, and socially.

Through a multifaceted approach, Kove Minds offers a range of services tailored to meet the diverse needs of young individuals struggling with mental health challenges. One of its key initiatives involves providing accessible and evidence-based therapeutic interventions, including counselling, psychotherapy, and cognitive-behavioural techniques. These interventions are designed to empower young people to develop coping strategies, build resilience, and effectively manage their emotions and behaviours.

Moreover, Kove Minds recognises the critical role that schools play in promoting mental health and well-being among students. As such, the organisation collaborates closely with educational institutions to implement comprehensive mental health initiatives and support systems. This includes offering training and workshops for teachers and staff on identifying mental health concerns, implementing effective interventions, and creating a supportive school environment conducive to positive mental health outcomes.

In addition to direct support for children and schools, Kove Minds also advocates for systemic change and increased awareness surrounding mental health issues affecting young people. By raising awareness, challenging stigma, and promoting dialogue, the organisation strives to create a culture where mental health is prioritised and de-stigmatised.

Workshop title:
Sixth Form Focus: Building Resilience, Transitioning Successfully, and Exploring Careers in Psychology
Workshop Leader: Dr. Jenna Vyas Lee, Clinical Psychologist.
Workshop Description:

Join us for an engaging workshop tailored for Sixth Form students, where we'll delve into essential topics for navigating this pivotal stage of your academic journey. Learn practical strategies to bolster your mental resilience as you transition to higher education or the workforce. Explore the fascinating field of psychology and discover potential career paths, guided by an experienced professional. Gain valuable insights and tools to thrive academically, emotionally, and professionally during this transformative phase.

https://koveminds.com/

RE-STAR Initiative

Workshop title: Research by young people, for young people: why your voice matters!
Workshop leads:
• Workshop will be led by RE-STAR’s* Youth Researchers: Dorian Poulton and Archie Wilson (another youth researcher will attend but I will confirm the name nearer the time)
• RE-STAR staff members, Dr Sylvan Baker (sylvan.baker@cssd.ac.uk)), Lauren Low (lauren.low@kcl.ac.uk) and Dr Kirsty Griffiths will be supporting the youth researchers.
*RE-STAR is a research programme, led by King’s College London. RE- STAR stands for ‘Regulating Emotions – Strengthening Adolescent Resilience’. It is part of a national initiative to improve adolescent mental health.
Workshop Description:
In this workshop, RE-STAR’s youth researchers will share their experiences of being part of the RE-STAR Youth Researcher Panel, why they got involved, and what it means to them. They will share how you might get involved in research, the impact you can have, and some of the innovative practices they and the research team are using to better understand adolescent mental health from the perspective of young people. Some of these practices can be used by you in your activities, campaigns, and your own research.

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/re-star

South London and Maudsley (SLaM)

SLaM provides the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK. They serve a local population of 1.3 million people in south London, as well as specialist services for children and adults across the UK and beyond. Each year they provide inpatient care for over 5,000 people, and treat more than 40,000 patients in the community in Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Croydon.

Workshop One Title: Managing Stress and Worry
Workshop Description:
Dr Ruth Braidwood and Dr Emilie Bourke are Senior Clinical Psychologists from SLaM NHS DISCOVER workshop team. They are experienced in running workshops, assemblies and 1.1 sessions on managing stress and worry with sixth-form students. They will be running an interactive 45-minute workshop session entitled 'How to Manage Stress and Worry' which will cover an explanation of stress and how it affects our health and wellbeing, particularly our ways of behaving, how we feel and how we see the world. Students will learn evidence-based psychological techniques and tips to handle worries, to get organised, and how to stay calm under pressure. Students will get a handout to take away with resources, and an opportunity to ask questions at the end.

Workshop Two Title: How do we ask for help when we are struggling?
Workshop Leaders: Assistant Psychologists from Kings College London
Workshop Description:

Everyone can find it hard to know where to get help when they are struggling with problems at home or at school. Join us in this workshop to think about where to find the support you need at school and in your community, and to talk about how these resources could be improved. Questions like "who can I talk to?" and "what do adults do when we ask them for help?" will be discussed, and we'll make sure you take away a lot of resources that can be helpful for you/your friends.

Haberdashers' Academies Trust South