Teenagers spread the word on mental health
Team survey Buddies on youth hub and life after the bid
Young people are helping their peers take positive steps to better mental health.
Teenage members of the Youth Commission, Renfrewshire Youth Voice, the Youth Forum, LGBT+ and Renfrewshire’s Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) took to the streets of Paisley to show the simple ways young people can improve their mental health.
Youngsters were based at a Young Scot trailer at the cenotaph in Paisley and were speaking to passers-by to find out their opinions on a youth hub for Renfrewshire as well as what they’d like to see should Paisley win the 2021 UK City of Culture bid.
A major strand of Paisley’s bid is mental health and wellbeing, which is the result of the work of Renfrewshire Youth Voice and the first-ever Youth Assembly held in the area.
During the week, the young people organised a #FollowYourFeet social media campaign and the Strolling, Strolling, Strolling wellbeing walks, which took in the sights of Paisley town centre.
Both were organised by young people as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film festival.
Teenagers Graeme Wilson, Amylouise Busby and Jack Vaughan are all involved in the Youth Commission, which came into being after the first Renfrewshire’s Youth Assembly in November 2016.
Graeme said: “I got involved because I’ve got family members who’ve got mental health issues.
“Young people tend to only talk to their friends about it. We find it difficult to talk to adults who are properly trained to help with mental health situations.
“At the Youth Commission there were about 300 people in the town hall and we came up with six key issues and mental health was the main one.”
Jack Vaughan, 18, said: “We held wellbeing walks and stopped at various locations. It’s gone well so far but it’s been dependent on the weather.
“One of the things we believe could help mental health is exercise. We thought organising the walks would be a good way to get incorporated with the Paisley 2021 bid.”
The #FollowYourFeet social media campaign comes just a few weeks before the Youth Commission will hold a symposium in Renfrewshire Council’s headquarters, at Renfrewshire House, on their key findings.
Amylouise added: “We also know that there is a lot young people can do together and, as we prepare to give our evidence on our findings, we want to gather further support from young people in Renfrewshire to show that by following their feet, they can improve their mental health.”
Education and children’s services convener Councillor Jim Paterson said: “Young people have told us that their mental health matters to them and it is vital that we understand what they need to be supported.
“The Youth Commission Symposium will be a fantastic opportunity for youngsters to tell us what they have found out about mental health in Renfrewshire and what everyone can do to ensure that all young people have positive mental health.”
To find out more about the Youth Commission, go to young. scot/ renfrewshire