World Mental Health Day last Saturday was a timely reminder to consider the impacts of the past year on our mental health. Kids and young people have had a tumultuous few months with being away from school, separated from their friends, and losing their main outlets for socialising – something which is incredibly important for their development.
Of course, with Generation Z’s connections through social media, they will never have been fully isolated from their friends, but increased time at home and relying on social media for all their interactions can have significant impacts on the mental health of young people.
According to a Co-SPACE study completed following lockdown, there has been a significant rise in mental health issues within Britain’s youth. This is exhibited in many different ways, such as feeling worried, and younger children being clingy. However, these reports came from the parents’ observations; the young people themselves claimed they were not feeling any anxiety or unhappiness.
It is not uncommon to be in a situation where young people avoid talking about mental health issues, and that is why there are so many great campaigns today trying to improve the UK’s mental health offering. Recently we at The Hub have been working with multiple charities who are trying to increase their provisions for mental health, particularly for young people in more vulnerable situations.
At the Hub, we design our research to make it as easy as possible for young people – whether that is conducting research online, so that they are using a mode they feel comfortable with, or participating within a friendship triad, so they feel in a known environment. For younger groups of children, and those in more vulnerable situations, methodology is key to ensuring you get valuable insight that will drive change longer term.
If you’re interested in exploring the behaviours, needs and desires of younger people further, drop Afra and Helen a line at afra@discoveryres.co.uk / helen@discoveryres.co.uk