What is the role of the Youth Sector in supporting young people's health?

Health Campaign Week is between the 6th and 10th March 2017! We are working with young people in Cornwall to raise the issues and concerns that they may have which relates to their personal health or the access that they have to health related services. The week is focused on raising awareness of areas that could be improved but also celebrate the areas of success.

So what is the role of the Youth Sector in Supporting Young People's Health?

'The role the youth sector plays in young people's mental and physical health is they can help to support you through carrying out 1-1 sessions or group activities.' 18yr old Truro

Young people have also said they believe that youth work and the youth sector help to support their health, mental health, and well-being by giving young people a range of opportunities to excel and reach their full potential. Youth work also helps to reduce the stigma which is around young people's mental health, whilst also making sure that the needs of the young people that they work with are met.

The youth sector helps to inspire young people to believe in themselves, engage them in a range of activities and opportunities, whilst also educating young people on their mental health, physical health, and their well-being. Youth workers act as positive role models, whilst also promoting positive life styles, which will also have an impact on young people's health. A key point that youth work does to support young people is ADVOCATE for their needs!
Professionals believe that;

'Promoting positive and healthy lifestyles through a variety of informal education such as workshops, conversations, and one to one sessions help support young people to access appropriate services when extra support is needed.' Youth Worker at YPC

About Me

Hi guys,

Thanks for taking time to have a look and a read through my blogs about raising awareness for Young People's Health Week.

I am an 18 year old who lives in Blackwater, Cornwall. I am currently working at Young People Cornwall as a Youth and Community Worker Apprentice. I first got involved with Youth Work when I was 13 by attending Zebs youth centre in Truro. After about a month or less I stopped attending due to transport problems getting to Truro and back home. Come the end of 2015 Young People Cornwall helped to set up a youth group in Blackwater run by two youth workers from YPC.

This helped me to get back engaged with youth work and have support again for my mental health and well-being. In the summer 2016 I went on the NCS as a young person, as the workers thought that it would be good for me to try out new things, and could help with my development and mental health. From this I found that my passion was for youth work and wanted to become a youth worker myself.

I spent the rest of the summer balancing my mental health, and finding positive coping strategies so I was in the right space to support other young people. I gained my apprenticeship in October 2016, and since then have become more committed and motivated to succeed in the youth work sector.

Why am I so committed to helping other young people?

I am committed and motivated to help and support other young people with their health, mental health, and well-being as it is extremely important that they get the correct help and support that they need to have the best quality of life that they can. The help and support that I got from youth workers has helped me succeed and gain the right support that I needed myself to reach my full potential.

Young people's health, whether that is physical or mental is extremely important. It can affect everyone without anyone noticing. This is because young people are the next generation and the future. We are the people who will be running for Prime Minister, your local GP, your bus driver, your store assistant. Without the help and support that we need during our adolescent years how are we meant to achieve the expectations that are put on us, by our families, our friends, and most importantly our society who needs us?

This is why I am so committed to helping other young people and supporting them to get to where they want to be, and help them achieve these expectations, but also help them choose their own life path.

#yphealthmatters