What next?

Well done on completing the final week of this course. Before we finish, let’s take a look back over our learning journey.

In Week 1, we started by learning about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the lasting negative impact they can have on the course of a young person’s life. We also heard from Mental Health Foundation colleagues about the importance of playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy when working with young people. We focussed on internally based domains – physical, emotional wellbeing, peer relationships – and explored how in many ways they are the foundation upon which the rest of mental wellbeing sits.

In Week 2, we learned about supporting young people to reflect on the external world and how they navigate it – through the transition from lockdown back to in person contact, awareness of how world events impact them, and how their own living conditions impact them generally and during the COVID-19 pandemic specifically.

We ended by sharing tips on how to keep it positive, acknowledging the many challenges young people face while offering practical tips to help them develop a positive mindset.

Our final do’s and don’ts are a great reminder for us about the need for authenticity and sensitivity in our conversations with young people.

We have covered a lot in the text and accompanying audio and you all will have provided still further insights and information for each other. Remember that you don’t need to hold it all as you work with a young person. Take it one step at a time and make good use of your PEP Task Workbook and Weekly Tracker. You’ll find a downloadable copy of the workbook and the tracker in the Downloads section.

Finally, remember to think PACE: embodying Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy as you work with your young person. This will help ensure you build a therapeutic nurturing relationship.

We hope you have found both weeks a useful resource to help you as you prepare to, or continue to, support young people in any important transition period.