Advice as a person working with young people

Responding to Young People

The campaign should encourage young people to find out more about mental ill-health and stigma. The ‘see me ’ website is a good starting point. Through it, you can access a wide range of mental health and youth organisations for information, advice or help.

Some young people might come forward to confide in you about their own difficulties for the first time. As a trusted adult, your role is first of all to listen and to give reassurance. It is important to ask the young person how they feel you can help.

It may be that the young person just needs someone to talk to. He or she may want support to get some information that can help them understand what they are feeling or doing.

It is important that the first contact a young person has with a person they trust is supportive.

‘see me’ has spoken with young people who have experienced stigma when making contact with professionals to talk about a mental health problem. It is vital that a young person is given time to communicate, and that he or she is taken seriously without meeting intolerance.

Some young people might need to be encouraged to visit a school counsellor, talk to parents or visit their GP. You may need to take advice yourself on where best to direct them. Talk to another appropriate adult or visit our website which will give you ideas, contacts and links.

Tips on supporting young people

• Be patient and give the young person time, making appropriate time available if you can. Be realistic and explain your own limitations with the young person. Look after your own wellbeing and recognise when you have reached the limit of your remit or confidence.
• Be an active listener. Ask a person what he or she wants you to do or what help he/she would like to find. Encourage the young person to feel in control.
• Create a safe environment to talk – a quiet, comfortable place with no distractions or interruptions. A young person may want to have a friend along. Listen to the friend’s viewpoint too.
• Take care not to offer more than you can provide… some people in distress take what you say very literally and can feel hurt if expectations are too high.
• Make sure the young person knows some key helpline numbers for contact out of hours. ‘see me….’ Leaflets have numbers for ChildLine and Breathing Space. Have a supply on hand to give out.
• Agree boundaries and stick to them. Know when you need to refer on. Explain why this is the case, and try to provide a handover that involves the young person, if a bond has been built between you.
• Be aware of your responsibilities with regard to confidentiality and make this clear to a young person. Confidentiality rules vary from profession to profession, so it is important that you clarify what you can and cannot do.
• Supportive family links can be a very important in someone’s recovery. That said, the decision to approach parents or guardians should be made wherever possible following careful discussion with the young person. He/she may have specific reasons why he/she has not told parents, or may benefit from discussing with you ways in which this could be approached. Visit the section aimed at parents to see what kind of advice we offer them.
• Keep an open mind and read about the subject. Try not to be dismissive, angry or judgmental about subjects or behaviours that you may find difficult. If you find you cannot deal with something, refer the person to a colleague or another organisation.
• It is generally not helpful to give a young person an ultimatum (such as “if you don’t stop cutting yourself you won’t be able to come to youth club” or “if you don’t stop making yourself sick I’ll come with you to the toilet”)
• Telling a person to “just stop” behaviour that you find disturbing (such as self-harm or bingeing/purging) can seriously damage trust in you. Self-harm for example, is almost always a sign of underlying distress, and should be investigated carefully. At the very least, refer the young person to a helpline or information on the subject.

Anonymous Help

If you are worried that a young person is very troubled and is either unable or unwilling to speak to anyone else when you are not around, make sure that he/she has the details of ChildLine and the Samaritans.

Young people often find the ability to talk about problems without having to be identified very helpful. You may also benefit from such impartial advice.