Young people teach us how to StressLESS
A new online tool, StressLESS, co-created by Mental Health Foundation and young people, will be launched today (Thursday 27 March). The resource is designed to support practitioners working with young people to ensure they have the tools to manage stress and support their wellbeing.
Recent studies show that stress levels in school children in Scotland have been influenced by several factors like academic pressure, social media, and the pandemic. Reports suggest an increase in anxiety and depression. 1 The StressLESS resource aims to support young people when experiencing feelings and emotions related to stress, has been co-created with young people aged 10-25.
A young person involved in creating the new tool said: “The concept of visualising stress was fascinating. I enjoyed the way that it allowed young people to visualise their stress in a way that you can kind of hold and feel something as well. I also liked that it discusses online-based activities which is not often recognised within stress.”
Gill Meens, Project Manager for Families, Children and Young People at Mental Health Foundation, said: “We know that stress is sadly an issue experienced by too many young people and we hope that this tool; designed by young people, for young people, will resonate and give them tools to support their own mental health.
“The original version, created over 5 years ago, was very well received by young people and practitioners delivering the sessions. However, post-pandemic and the new way of learning that emerged has meant that we needed to give the resource an uplift to make it more accessible.”
The resource is based on a 9-week programme containing sessions on What causes stress? managing stress, relationships, communication and stigma, and has been brought up-to-date from its original format and transformed into a much more accessible tool with the help of young people who have been integral to the creation of the new-look resource.
Gill added: “The sessions are creative and interactive and can be used with individuals or in a group setting. The tool includes guidance on how to adapt the sessions to insure they are inclusive and sensitive to different groups and needs.”
The new StressLESS tool will be launched at the ‘Working Together to StressLESS’ event, hosted by partner, Scran Academy with keynote speaker Children and Young People’s Commissioner, Nicola Killean in attendance.
Will Bain, Chief Executive Officer at Scran Academy, said:
“We’re thrilled to be hosting – and catering for – this important national event. The StressLESS toolkit is a brilliant resource, and using the launch to bring young people and practitioners to our youth workspace to learn together is going to be so valuable.
"Scran Academy are proud to be platforming youth voice on such a critical topic, and one which demands game-changing positive action. We’re also proud that this whole event will be catered for, facilitated and recorded by a team of our brilliant young people, who are getting a real-life chance to showcase their talents.”
The StressLESS pack can be used by practitioners, within schools and in community settings and can be found here: