Youth Mental Health Day

Youth Mental Health Day is on the 19th September 2023 and encourages understanding and discussion of mental health in young people, enabling them to live happy and healthy lives all year round. Each year, the day aims to get young people, and those who support them, talking about how to improve mental health.

Why is Youth Mental Health Day important?

Mental health concerns for young people are increasing, and over the last few years, young people have experienced multiple crisis. According to Stem4, today, four in ten young people say they have mental health difficulties of which seven in ten say they are experiencing feelings of anxiety (71%) and low mood (67%).
Youth Mental Health Day aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health, give young people a voice, and help young people take positive steps towards improving their own mental health and wellbeing.

The theme for YMHD 2023 is #BeBrave

This year, Stem4’s theme for Youth Mental Health Day is #BeBrave. Whether it’s building confidence in facing difficult situations, building social confidence through learning to work together on team tasks, or learning to have the courage to fail by doing something new no matter what the outcome, being brave can mean something different to everyone.
By focusing on what it takes to be brave, #stem4YMHD hopes to give young people the courage and confidence they need to achieve their goals and ambitions, and be the best version of themselves they can be.

Why is it important to support children and young people’s mental health?

Over the last few years, young people have experienced multiple crises from the pandemic, global warming, political conflict and the current cost of living crisis, and this has affected almost all areas of personal, educational and social life for children and young people – especially those experiencing major life transitions, like moving from primary to secondary school or onto university and work.

Now is such an important time to help children and young people to understand and protect their own mental health, as well as that of their peers.