Did you know that according to the World Health Organization, half of all lifetime mental health cases begin by age 14? Young people are in need of mental health support, especially as the need has grown.
US Surgeon General Vivek H. Murphy was quoted as saying “recent research covering 80,000 youth globally found that depressive and anxiety symptoms doubled during the pandemic.”
How can the church be a part of the response to this global youth mental health crisis?
On January 13, Vancouver-based Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries is launching The Sanctuary Youth Series, a free, groundbreaking resource designed to support the wellbeing of Christian youth.
It is aimed at students aged 11 to 15 and designed for use in small groups, youth ministries and school settings.
In a world that can feel overwhelming, this resource aims to provide young people with the tools, wisdom, and encouragement they need to navigate mental health challenges with faith and resilience. It is centred on the pressing questions young people are asking about mental health and faith.
Why this resource matters
-
Mental health challenges among youth are on the rise.
-
According to The Open Generation Report, youth want to attend churches that prioritize talking about mental health, which is one of their greatest concerns.
-
Young people are talking about mental health with each other, but only 34 percent are talking to the adults in their lives according to Springtide Research.
The Sanctuary Youth Series brings theology into conversation with mental health, empowering young people to not only seek help but also to trust that they are never alone, whether they are flourishing or languishing. The series is an accessible, faith-based resource that addresses mental health from an integrated, holistic perspective.
What to expect
The series is designed to create space for young people to talk about mental health and faith. It includes:
-
Eight educational films featuring the stories of young Christians with lived experience of mental health challenges
-
A facilitation guide for youth ministry leaders
-
Interactive exercises along with instructions for youth participants to download
-
An informational document for parents/caregivers
-
Opportunities for prayer and reflection on various mental health themes
Where to find it
Sanctuary is launching the series next Monday (January 13), when it’ll be available on their resource portal at portal.sanctuarymentalhealth.org/the-sanctuary-youth-series.
Sanctuary hopes that this resource will become a trusted companion and valuable support for youth ministries around the globe. Together, we can all reduce the stigma around mental health and build a strong foundation of support for the next generation in the church.
IN EVERY NEIGHBOURHOOD – Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to have a peer support group meeting in every neighbourhood? An Open Door where you could go when you’re troubled or hurting and need to be with those who would understand – those who would listen when you have things to tell – brothers and sisters all.
Look back at those times when you felt you had no friends who cared enough to listen to you tell about your pain — those times when you felt so totally alone with nowhere to go. Nowhere a smile especially for you, a smile that told you that someone cares, a smile that means something.
Imagine at a time like that to find an Open Door in your neighbourhood with a meeting happening sometime soon — a place where you will be greeted warmly, accepted with a smile. Told that there is Someone who cares — Someone who will fill your hungry heart. A place where Christ’s love is shared with all who come. It is a love that will satisfy.
Pray for such a room. Work for such a room. Call upon the God you worship and ask for his help in building such wonderful places where hurting people find a place of healing. A place where Christ’s love can be experienced, a place where you will, through this love, be made whole.
And you no longer feel so alone.