Young people's mental health
Young people's mental health
From sharing resources to leading discussions, there are many ways you can promote young people’s mental wellbeing in your church.
We believe that the mental health and well-being of young people is of highest importance. Discover the ways that you can work with your local church community to help young people to flourish and fulfil their potential.
What can you do?
Get to know what support is available
There are a number of different mental health charities working to support young people who are struggling. These include:
- Papyrus: a national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide. They provide a helpline for young people, as well as delivering suicide prevention training and support to schools and other organisations.
- Sanctuary Mental Health: offers resources that engage the topics of faith and mental health. These include The Sanctuary Course, a study guide for small groups, designed to start conversations in local churches regarding mental health.
- Mental Health Collective: offers activities for people of all ages to help reduce isolation and stigma, and to build connection and hope. These include Kindness by Post.
Start a discussion
The Children’s Society provide specialised guidance and resources for churches looking to do work on improving young people’s mental health. These include a library of downloads to lead adult and youth groups in discussions about faith and mental well-being. You can also invite a volunteer to come and speak at your church.
Complete our well-being trail
If you’re based in London, share our self-guided well-being trail, which takes worshippers around the grounds of St Paul’s for a time of quiet and peaceful reflection.
Our work on young people's mental health
- We commissioned a research study, conducted by the Diocese of London’s Children and Youth Team, to better understand young people’s experiences during the COVID pandemic, their coping mechanisms and their ideas on how we could better support them in the future.
- We facilitate activities and workshops designed to reduce loneliness, increase empathy, develop listening skills and build social cohesion.
- We work in partnership with specialist organisations to raise awareness and connect people to sources of support.
- We train our staff in Mental Health First Aid to increase our own awareness of mental health issues amongst our visitors, staff and families.
Our resources on mental health
Wellbeing trail of St Paul's
An interactive wellbeing trail, with stopping points for reflection, set in the Churchyard and surroundings of St Paul’s Cathedral. Free to access during daylight hours. Suitable for young people and adults of all faiths or none.
Blue Christmas reflections
The prospect of Christmas can highlight loss and absence. We produced this filmed reflection to offer an alternative message for Christmas in difficult times.
How to live in hard times
Paula Gooder reflects on the story of Palm Sunday, and how it might teach us to live in hard times.
Who am I? Identity, Faith and Being Human
Rowan Williams and John Swinton ask what it means to be a human being. Beginning with the insights that working with people with dementia brings, they explore what identity is, personally, collectively and spiritually.
Christian learning resources
Find films, podcasts and written reflections exploring a huge range of subjects in our learning library – from Rowan Williams’ talk ‘Jesus Christ: The Unanswered Questions to A Spirituality of the Body’ to David Suchet’s mesmerising reading of the whole of the Gospel According to Mark.