Adam Farricker, CEO of Empower, which is part of the Onside Network, and runs HideOut Youth Zone in Gorton, East Manchester, and is set to open its second site, Salford Youth Zone, this summer, highlights the mental health crisis affecting children across the UK and how Youth Zones can support young people
A long overdue focus on mental health is happening across society, drawing attention to the wellbeing crisis we are seeing among young people. This is unsurprising in the wake of the pandemic, which exacerbated levels of loneliness among young people and their growing dependence on social media. Many other factors have also contributed to the epidemic of poor mental health in recent years, including ongoing austerity, academic pressures, and a lack of urgency in policymakers to support mental health matters.
The impact of social media
OnSide’s 2024 Generation Isolation report, in partnership with YouGov, spotlighted the issue of deteriorating mental wellbeing, revealing that smartphone usage was the most time-consuming activity outside of school for young people aged between 11-18 years old. A multitude of research has linked excessive social media usage to increased prevalence of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. However, we are still seeing that young people are increasingly spending more time than ever on their smartphones.
In OnSide’s research, 52% of children stated that they want to reduce their screen time; however, almost half of these young people don’t know how to. The report also revealed that 29% of young people felt that more affordable leisure activities would be the most important factor in improving their life outside the classroom.
Growing demand for mental health services
A combination of increased social media usage and other external factors has led to the number of children referred to emergency mental health care services in England increasing by 10% in a year. While this is a shocking statistic, a similar trend can be seen in Youth Zones. The highest number of Safeguarding disclosures that Empower receives each month relates to mental health and self-harm, showing us first-hand the need for improved provisions.
The uptick in young people needing emergency mental health care is putting a significant strain on the NHS. Unfortunately, we are seeing an increasing number of case studies highlighting how the country is failing young people when it comes to mental health matters. Recent research from the Centre for Mental Health estimated that £1 trillion in lifetime earnings would be lost in the UK as a direct result of the mental health crisis in young people, demonstrating its impact on the economic outcomes of individuals.
Early intervention
The effects the mental health crisis is having on individuals and the broader healthcare system are why a collaborative and coordinated approach is needed to truly support our youth. We cannot keep waiting for action to be taken to support young people when they reach crisis point, so we need to start addressing these problems through a preventative lens.
Such measures should be taken at a local level to ensure that community nuances are considered. Young people need more access to safe spaces where they can learn and develop outside of the classroom. Youth Zones and other youth work provisions give young people access to an abundance of activities that can help them become less dependent on their smartphones. Having attended youth services myself as a young person, I know firsthand the positive effect that having somewhere to spend your time outside of school and at home can have. They are places where young people can socialise, find new hobbies that build their confidence and self-esteem whilst having access to trusted youth workers, which is important for encouraging positive mental health.
Investing in young people’s mental health and supporting them should be a top priority for key decision-makers. By putting a greater focus on safe places like Youth Zones, we will provide young people with the opportunities to socialise and grow their confidence. The benefits of greater investment in improving young people’s mental wellbeing will not only help the individuals but also wider societal and economic outcomes. To truly break the cycle of failing to support young people until it is at a crisis point and relieve the pressure on NHS services, we need to take preventative measures now.
