It’s inevitable that young people face transitions and adversity. If we’re lucky, these difficulties are manageable, and we gain support and understanding through close relationships with others.
But many young people face overwhelming emotional and mental wellbeing issues and feel they have nowhere to turn.
Whether stress arises through family and relationship issues, social pressures or isolation, mistreatment, deprivation or ill health, many young people face trauma that interrupts and distorts healthy development.
Rather than growing towards a bright future, they find themselves at risk of depression and anxiety, problematic behaviour, exclusion, and even suicidal thoughts. Without timely intervention these issues can snowball, and families, communities, schools, support services and wider society bear the strain of supporting young people who are in crisis.
We all face emotionally challenging situations during our childhood, which is part of the human experience. However, some children and young people grow up in environments and have experiences that they are unable to understand and cope with. These can be traumatic and may have a long-lasting effect on their development, learning, health, and behaviour.
Experiencing traumatic events can result in a child or young person struggling with their emotional and mental wellbeing. A wide range of symptoms can be linked to trauma, including,
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Eating disorders
- Self-harming behaviours
Vibe Youth aims to reach young people before their challenges become entrenched, and our projects create opportunities for children and young people to explore and examine their own experiences and the emotions behind it, understand root causes, and build hope and aspirations for their future.
Our unique approach is informed by Vibe Youth founders own lived experiences, connecting young people through stories, building emotional literacy, and empowering them to make informed choices. Young people have a big role to play in society, and are central to the positive, meaningful, and prosperous future we all want. We help young people become resilient, responsible citizens, contribute to their communities, and build social connections – regardless of their background.