By Kylee Harris

Our Empowering Youth Voices Summit is coming up on May 9th, at Danversport in Danvers, MA. This year, we are excited to welcome 200 students to participate in an all day immersive experience that focuses on speaking up and advocating for mental health. Students will be able to attend focus groups, workshops, and therapeutic arts all with the same goal of promoting mental health awareness, practicing speaking about it, and emphasizing the importance of having these conversations.

Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing students on what they had learned, and what they will take away from the day. I have been working with youth professionally for 8 years, and the most common concern I hear about mental health is that youth don’t know how to start the conversation. This was exactly what the students at the summit expressed to me when interviewed. They told me that until the summit, they hadn’t known how to ask if someone was okay, or if they needed help; and that it’s hard because no one teaches you how to ask for help. I thought this was really interesting, the fact that no one really teaches you how to ask for help. So how are you supposed to know how to do it? Students expressed that they enjoyed the workshops because it normalized mental health and started a conversation that they felt seen and heard through. They had said that in school, you’re taught about depression and anxiety and OCD but no one ever teaches you what to do if you or someone you know is struggling. One student in particular expressed that even though in school they tell you to tell “an adult” that it isn’t as easy as it seems. When do you know when to tell an adult? How do you approach the conversation? These are great points brought up by a lot of the youth we work with. That’s why dedicating a whole day to mental health and equipping youth with tools to succeed is a step toward a future that promotes mental health and less deaths by suicide.

The students that I interviewed also had a few concerns and wishes for the academic future of their peers. They expressed their gratitude for their school counselors but also their understanding of the lack of resources. A lot of the students felt that one guidance counselor wasn’t enough for all of the students. They had said they wished there were more resources in school to help them, and more people trained specifically in mental health to help during the day. Students also said they wished school would be more flexible with mental health time. Student athletes don’t get much leniency when it comes to missing games and practices. These youth are expected to go to school, do homework, go to sports, and keep a positive mental health balance. Sounds impossible? Well to me, it does. I was a student athlete, and I had a very hard time balancing my sport with my mental health. It was tough to hear from the students that it hasn’t gotten much better. A lot of them expressed that still, even if they needed to take a mental health day, they will be sat or have to miss out on game time as a “fair way of punishment”. I remember this being a rule 10 years ago when I was in high school, but to have the knowledge we do about mental health and its importance and to still implement rules that inhibit a students right to practice healthy skills. A child should be able to take a mental health day without consequences. I was surprised how many students actually brought this up at the summit. With all these students advocating for change, I’m very hopeful that the future includes a deeper understanding of the value of mental health, and that’s why the summit is such an important step in the right direction. Hearing from youth directly will always be important for professionals in the industry to accurately represent them. In these safe environments such as the youth summit, we as adults can learn and most importantly LISTEN. This year’s summit is another opportunity for students to speak up and speak out about their concerns and what they want to see in the world.

For more information about attending this year’s summit, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Erica ( [email protected] ) for more information.