The e-wellbeing Youth Podcast
By YMCA e-wellbeing
e-wellbeing is a mental health platform brought to you by the digital team at YMCA DownsLink Group to provide young people with tips, ideas and easily accessible support for their mental health and wellbeing. To find out more, go to e-wellbeing.co.uk
The e-wellbeing Youth PodcastSep 16, 2022
Breaking the Stigma: A conversation about men and boy's mental health
How are you really?
1 in 8 men in England suffer with their mental health. In this episode, we talk to young men about the importance of opening up the conversation and breaking down the stigmas surrounding the mental health of men and boys. They share ways how they look after their mental health and connect with others when they're struggling.
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
Many thanks to Josh and Charlie for joining us on today's episode. To find out how to get involved with e-wellbeing's Ambassador Programme, head to e-wellbeing.co.uk/getinvolved
Jingle created by the awesome IkeBeat @ikebeat03
Neurodiversity and Mental Health: There's no such thing as 'Normal'
Louisha has always known she is autistic. Now, at 17 years old, she has been on a two-year journey to get an official autism diagnosis. In this episode, she talks to us about her experiences navigating school as a blind and neurodiverse young person (the good, the bad and the ugly!), the helpful tools she has used over the years, and her favourite parts of being neurodiverse.
She also shares her advice for other neurodiverse young people and gives tips to teachers and parents supporting someone going through the same thing as her.
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For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
Many thanks to our e-wellbeing Ambassador Amaani for guest hosting today's episode. To find out how to get involved with e-wellbeing's Ambassador Programme, head to e-wellbeing.co.uk/getinvolved
Jingle created by the awesome IkeBeat @ikebeat03 on insta.
Mental Health Stigma: What barriers exist in the perceptions and approach to mental health?
This week’s episode of the e-wellbeing podcast tackles the subject of mental health stigma. Stigmas are negative assumptions made about people because of how they look or what group they’re perceived to “belong” to. These assumptions mean that the people on the receiving end of the label could be mistreated, not taken seriously or valued in the way that they should be.
How do stigmas affect how young people think and feel about their wellbeing? What role does the media play in this issue? We ask our Youth Ambassadors to unwrap these topics and discuss what we can do together to tackle the unhealthy and unhelpful assumptions about mental health.
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
Many thanks to our e-wellbeing Ambassadors Fiona, Sian, Annabel, Phoebe and Amaani for featuring on today's episode. To find out how to get involved with e-wellbeing's Ambassador Programme, head to e-wellbeing.co.uk/getinvolved
Jingle created by the awesome IkeBeat!
Communication, Boundaries and Taboos: Young People's thoughts on relationships during a pandemic
In this episode, we talk to YMCA WiSE Youth Ambassadors about relationships. The YMCA WiSE project educate young people on all aspects of healthy relationships. From the struggles of maintaining long-distance partners, to the challenges of isolating with housemates, in this episode, the Youth Ambassadors share their thoughts on how the pandemic has changed relationships for young people. We bust some myths and misconceptions about 'healthy relationships' and share how good communication and boundaries can have a positive impact on your mental health.
You can find WiSE on Instagram and Facebook @ymcawise.
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
Many thanks to our e-wellbeing Ambassador Fiona for guest hosting today's episode. To find out how to get involved with e-wellbeing's Ambassador Programme, head to e-wellbeing.co.uk/getinvolved
Jingle created by the awesome IkeBeat @ikebeat03
Positivity: How one teenager started a business to help others with their mental health.
In this episode, we are joined by Kenya, a 14-year-old entrepreneur and mental health champion. She started her own business, Kenya's Diaries, to help spread positivity and promote self-love. She answers young people's questions on how she started Kenya's Diaries and how she uses her positivity journals to support her own mental health. You can find Kenya on Instagram and Facebook @kenyasdiaries. To get hold of one of her diaries or other products, head to kenyasdiaries.co.uk
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
Many thanks to our e-wellbeing Ambassadors for their questions in this episode. To find out how to get involved with e-wellbeing's Ambassador Programme, head to e-wellbeing.co.uk/getinvolved
Creativity and Mental Health: How one scholar poet harnesses the power of creativity for social change.
In this episode, we are joined by the amazing Brighton based scholar-activist and spoken word artist, AFLO. the poet. She answers young people's questions on her creative process and discusses how social activism helps her to express lived experiences and challenge dominant narratives, particularly in relation to the Black Lives Matter movement. You can find AFLO on Instagram and Facebook @AFLO.thepoet
Studies have shown that engaging in creative activities can help our mental wellbeing. Creativity can also help young people communicate their feelings and experiences that are otherwise difficult to express. Throughout history, artists and creative thinkers have used creativity to spread messages and raise awareness on issues of inequality and social injustice. Discover how AFLO. the poet harnesses the power of creativity for social change.
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
Many thanks to our e-wellbeing Ambassadors for their questions in this episode and to Phoebe for joining us as a guest co-host. To find out how to get involved with e-wellbeing's Ambassador Programme, head to e-wellbeing.co.uk/getinvolved
Youth Homelessness: How has the pandemic affected homeless young people and what can we do about it?
The pandemic has seen a 61% rise in homeless young people, and we are facing the biggest homeless crisis for young people in a generation. In today's episode, we are joined by Chas Walker, Chief Executive of YMCA DownsLink Group. Chas a wealth of experience in supported and social housing, particularly when it comes to supporting homeless young people.
In this episode, Chas answers young people’s questions on the relationship between youth homelessness and mental health and gives us some ideas on how we can support young homeless people in our community.
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health, check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
Many thanks to our e-wellbeing Ambassadors for their questions in this episode and to Sian for joining us as a guest co-host. To find out how to get involved with e-wellbeing's Ambassador Programme, head to e-wellbeing.co.uk/getinvolved
Social Media: Can we find a healthy balance to support our mental health?
During the pandemic, social media has become one of the only ways to stay connected with loved ones and the outside world. But being connected all the time can be overwhelming and difficult to switch off. Whether you love it or love to hate it, there’s no denying it’s hard to escape the constant scrolling, liking, and sharing. But what is the impact of social media on the mental health of young people and can we find a healthy balance?
In today's episode, we are joined by Dr Rina Bajaj, a Counselling Psychologist who runs her own private practice and has been working in the field of mental health for over 15 years. To find out more about Dr Rina, head to her website, rinabajaj.com or find her on Instagram @dr.rina.bajaj or Twitter @DrRinaBajaj
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
Many thanks to our e-wellbeing Ambassadors for their questions in this episode and to Florence for joining us as a guest co-host. To find out how to get involved with e-wellbeing's Ambassador Programme, head to e-wellbeing.co.uk/getinvolved
Lockdown Life: Living with uncertainty and adjusting to the 'new normal'
2020 has been a year of a lot of change for everybody. First, we adjusted to lockdown: closure of schools and workplaces, cancellations of events, and so on. Now, as strict lockdown rules are eased in some places and tightened in others, everyone is having to adjust once again to a ‘new normal’. All the uncertainty has impacted young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
In this episode, we talk to Dr. Pooky Knightsmith, a specialist in child and adolescent mental health and emotional wellbeing. She answers young people's questions on the topic of lockdown, returning to school, and how all the uncertainty is impacting our mental health. To find out more about Pooky head to her YouTube channel youtube.com/pookyh or find her on Twitter @PookyH.
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.
This podcast was recorded on the 16 September. Since then, government guidance on coronavirus may have changed. Please check the government website for up to date guidance: www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Racism and Mental Health
In light of recent events surrounding the #BlackLivesMatter movement, we've seen a rise in protests from people of all cultures and backgrounds on the topics of racism, privilege, diversity, discrimination and more. Understandably, this has and continues to impact the mental health of children and young people growing up in an ever-changing society as we transition out of lockdown.
In this episode, we talk to Kadra Abdinasir, Head of Children & Young People's Mental Health at the Centre for Mental Health in London. She answers young people's questions about the impacts of racism on their wellbeing during the pandemic and shares coping strategies for dealing with racism online and in school/the workplace. To find out more about the Centre for Mental Health visit them on Instagram @centreformh or their website www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk.
For more tips, ideas and support for your mental health check out e-wellbeing.co.uk or you can find us on Instagram and Twitter @_ewellbeing and Facebook @ewellbeing.