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How can young people maintain good mental health?
The Zug Office of Health explored this question in a participatory youth research project. The aim was to raise awareness about mental health among young people with a campaign and work-shops in schools.
Young researchers aged 14-18 investigated what young people do to promote and maintain their mental health. The research team wanted to find out which situations and reasons are good or bad for young people and what strategies they used to maintain good mental health. During the four-month process, many of the different topics that are currently of particular concern to young people could be mapped out. In the next step, the young researchers devised four specific tips to support young people in dealing with their problems, so that their mental health remains good.
A campaign for young people, by young people
We worked with ADVERY advertising agency to put together a mental health awareness raising campaign; the agency trains young people with mental health difficulties to become graphic or media designers. Around twelve of the agency’s trainees were involved in the project. The cam-paign was launched at the beginning of December 2019. In addition to the four specific tips, young people can find further strategies for dealing with their everyday worries and problems on the www.kennsch-es.ch campaign website. It also contains links to leisure opportunities, and support and counselling services for young people and young adults.
Workshops for school classes
As well as the awareness-raising campaign, the Health Office has created a workshop for sec-ondary school classes, in order to take the four tips with different experiments directly to young people and to make them even more comprehensible. The first pilot workshops have already tak-en place, with positive feedback, meaning that the workshop can be launched in the new year.
