How Fast Forward is working to improve Scottish young people’s mental health

In this blog, we share how each of our projects contributes to improving Scottish young people’s mental health.

At Fast Forward, we recognise how important children and young people’s mental health is for their future wellbeing and resilience. We also appreciate that the impacts of COVID-19 have made this a particularly worrying time for many children, young people, and families.

Supporting young people’s mental health is important to us, and it’s a theme that runs throughout our work.

Ask Dad More

Ask Dad More seeks to strengthen and enhance the bond between father and child. This bond allows dads to support their children and young people with the challenges of growing up in today’s world. It also helps young people know they can turn to dad for support with any issue.

By working with dads and father figures through group-work, workshops and individual support, we support dads to understand what is going on for their children and young people. We also empower dads to implement a variety of parenting strategies, and to offer support to their children and young people in the way that benefits them most.

 

Scottish Gambling Education Hub

More young people in Britain have gambled in the last week than have smoked tobacco cigarettes, or taken illegal drugs. Gambling can severely impact on a young person’s mental health, and young people experiencing gambling problems are more likely to attempt suicide. The Hub supports young people’s health and wellbeing by promoting gambling education and harm prevention work across Scotland.

We provide free training for staff and volunteers from any organisation that works with children, young people and families. This empowers  teachers, youth workers, and other practitioners working with young people to educate and support young people on the risks around gambling, and signpost them to support available if they need it.

Arts and theatre projects

Young people’s choices around risk-taking behaviours like substance use or gambling can have a profound impact on their mental health. Our arts and theatre projects all pose questions and raise awareness of risk-taking behaviours, with the aim of supporting young people to develop their decision-making skills and make healthy life choices.

These projects offer a different way of learning than conventional education, and can reach young people with a range of different backgrounds and support needs. They also create a space for young people to share their views, opinions, experiences, and imaginations. This acknowledgement that their views matter supports young people’s confidence in themselves, and the world around them.

Going Forward

Going Forward delivers workshops for vulnerable and at-risk young people that focus on core themes around health, wellbeing, and risk-taking behaviours, including:

• Substance use
• Sexual health and relationships
• Online safety
• Gambling harm

Our programme aims to empower young people to make more informed and healthier decisions, thereby supporting their mental health and wellbeing. We continually evolve our sessions based on what workers and young people tell us are important issues to them.

Tobacco education

Smoking is the most important preventable cause of ill-health and premature death in Scotland. Smoking is also a choice that some young people make, and it’s one that we need to respect! Our choices are shaped by what’s around us – 33% of young people are more likely to smoke if anyone they see as a ‘role model’ smokes.

Our Smoke Free Projects deliver a range of tobacco prevention sessions for children and young people. We’re contributing to Scotland being smoke-free by 2034, by raising young people’s awareness of:

• Tobacco, e-cigarettes and related risk-taking behaviours
• The links between smoking and mental health
• Stop smoking services

We hope this supports them to more informed, healthier choices. Even if this is reducing their smoking habit, small changes can lead to big results.