A 2017 IPPR report revealed that mental illness amongst young people leaving school has risen almost fivefold in the past decade. There is also an increase in alcohol & drug misuse, self-harm & vulnerability to suicide. In 2016 about 250,000 children were receiving mental health care in England, the vast majority of those being teenagers. And there is no doubt that older school children are now in environments that make mental health worse. A recent stem4, survey of 500 12- to 16-year-olds revealed anxieties, including exam worries (41%), work overload (31%), friendship concerns (28%), lack of confidence (26%), concerns over body image (26%) & feelings of being overwhelmed (25%). While anxiety may have always been encountered in adolescence, academic, social hierarchy & performance worries are more of a modern-day phenomenon. These experiences are being echoed around Europe. Our partners comment: ‘Recent evidence from Lithuania & Romania shows that upper school aged children are particularly vulnerable to social risks compared to adults. 0.5 m Children and students (18% of population) face factors such as emigration of parents, (often for work reasons) substance abuse, bullying, violence, institutionalization & reluctance to mental health services. Besides this, Lithuania has one of the highest suicide rates in the world particularly amongst students.
Objectives of the project
The project team is developing, testing & disseminating a modular curriculum and training course, & support materials which are being delivered flexibly in a broad range of settings from secondary School to colleges and Universities. The course highlights a broad range of issues that our research has highlighted to be problematic for students.
During the training each issue is being discussed, myths are being dispelled & students are being reassured by the experience of teachers and tutors. The course uses a blended learning technique which feature extensive use of ICT in order to identify with young people & encourage them to be as interactive as possible. This include making instructional videos, self-completion work books, international interaction over a purpose built learning platform, & a series of poster competitions to highlight the issues & raise awareness within their school community. Students have many opportunities to be actively involved in developing the messages & passing them on to their peer groups. Target group – pupils and students aged 13 -21, at Schools, Colleges and Universities, because they are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues according to statistics & reports quoted above. Schools, school staff and parents are also target groups in order to provide support to students both at school and at home.
If you have any questions regarding the project, please contact us by e-mail projects projects@inovacijubiuras.lt
