In times of need, we turn first to our friends and peers. As a young person, you’re in a position to truly know what is going on with your friends, siblings, and fellow students in a way that adults cannot – and that also puts you in a position to help in ways that adults cannot.
You can offer nonjudgmental support to your peers – as you know, a conversation with someone your own age is often the only place where there is nobody judging or telling a young person what to do.
You can also model caring and compassionate behavior for people your own age and younger. If you see someone in need, you don’t have to be a bystander – you can be an ally, a friend, a supporter.
Shape the world with your everyday actions.
Every choice you make in how you interact with those close to you – or those that are simply in your sphere – can help change the culture so that all youth feel supported and connected. Increased adolescent suicide rates, especially among LGBTQ youth, have been in the news lately, but peer-to-peer connection can combat depression and isolation.
The Trevor Project is one organization that offers crisis intervention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth. If you are concerned about suicide, Never a Bother is a helpful resource as is Humboldt County’s Suicide Prevention Program – or call 988 the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
Reach out when you feel isolated.
The Humboldt County Transition Age (16-26) Youth Collaborative HCTAYC provides skill-building workshops, and support groups. The Humboldt County Youth Resource pages at Partnership HealthPlan offer supports from housing, to parent/teen education, relationships, and counseling.
Learn how to make a difference.
Follow your passion and get involved in causes you care about. Join clubs at your schools that address issues that matter to you. Interact and Key Club focus on community service. Points of Light’s Generation On can help you affect change in your community on issues you care about.
Be part of the solution.
Visit Love is Respect to learn more about teen dating violence, setting boundaries, and love bombing. Find out what you can do to take positive action.
Don’t be a bystander.
Step in when you see someone being targeted or treated badly. If you feel unsafe to intervene yourself, make the effort to connect with a trusted adult – a parent, older sibling, teacher, or coach – and tell them what you saw and identify who may need help.
Don’t be afraid to speak up.
In this video, child prodigy Adora Svitak says the world needs “childish” thinking: bold ideas, wild creativity, and especially optimism.
Become an official or unofficial mentor to a younger child.
Children look up to older youth and having someone like you in their corner can be a source of great support. Simply by having a basic relationship with a sibling, a friend’s sibling, a neighbor, or a younger classmate, you serve as someone a child can turn to.
Find a mentor for yourself.
Local organizations like Youth Mentoring Program and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Coast offer mentoring programs – or ask your school for resources.
Be a resource to your peers.
Know what’s available at your school or in your community so that you can offer suggestions to someone who needs support. Offer to go with a friend to talk to a trusted adult about problems, or recommend specific resources, like Youth Services Bureau for runaway and homeless youth.
Break isolation.
Take advantage of any opportunity to break the isolation of other youth who you think may be lonely. This can be as simple as saying hi in the hallway, talking on the bus, or asking about someone’s weekend.
Get inspired.
UNICEF’s Voices of Youth offers inspiring, original insight and opinion from across the globe – by young people, for young people.
Volunteer.
As volunteers, youth are highly prized and always in demand because of your unique roles and because of the energy and dedication, you bring to the causes you care about.
Share Family First – CAPCC on Facebook and spread the word that there are ways to get involved.
Resources for Youth and Teens
