As part of the Mental Health Weekthe Fondation Jeunes en Tête takes stock of its 2021-2022 provincial tour in which it met more than 41,500 young people across Quebec, including 3,124 in Chaudière-Appalaches.
Workshops The foundation for mental health et Solidarity for mental health, presented as part of this high school tour, aim to promote positive mental health and prevent depression and anxiety.
The Foundation contributes daily to supporting the mental health of young Quebecers, especially in this post-pandemic context. The 2021-2022 tour has therefore allowed him to be omnipresent in schools and to make sure that he is available to young people and their parents as well as to school staff.
In keeping with its mission, the Fondation Jeunes en Tête has visited 13 schools in the Chaudière-Appalaches region since October, representing 3,124 students and 31 teachers.
« We know that school is an important place to help students develop self-esteem, self-confidence and good relationships with others. Going to meet young people in schools allows us, at the Fondation Jeunes en Tête, to exchange with them in a context conducive to listening to and participating in our young people. “, underlined Mélanie Boucher, Executive Director of the Fondation Jeunes en Tête.
Tailored workshops
Developed together with scientific experts, the workshop The foundation for mental health allows in particular to give a multitude of tips applicable to everyday life for students in 1st and 2nd secondary.
For its part, the workshop Solidarity for mental health teaches young people in Secondary 3, 4 and 5 to recognize the warning signs and symptoms of depression and to equip them to seek help.
The Foundation offers these workshops, along with online tools, for parents, teachers and young people, completely free of charge.
Youth mental health and the pandemic
Remember that psychological distress in adolescents is a phenomenon that concerned experts long before the arrival of COVID-19. However, the two years of the pandemic had accelerating effects on anxiety and on the mental health problems of adolescents.
In particular, we see an increase in screen time, in addition to a significant drop in young people’s sports activities. It is not surprising to learn that nearly one in two young people have suffered from symptoms related to generalized anxiety disorder or major depression since the beginning of the pandemic.
« The good news is that a lot of progress has been made to de-stigmatize the issue of mental health and to break taboos. With the pandemic, mental health has found itself at the heart of concerns and we talk about it more than ever. This is why it is crucial to continue our prevention and awareness work with adolescents, their parents and school staff while continuing to be there for them. concluded Ms. Boucher.
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