Youth Aware of Mental Health

Children & youth

Jun 1

Who: Mental Helse

What: A school-based program about mental health called YAM (Youth aware of mental health)

Where: Bergen

Project period: 2023

Web: Mental helse YAM

Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) is a school-based program about mental health for young people ages 13 to 18. YAM is an evidence-based program taking place in classrooms around the world where students actively engage with the topic of mental health through role-play and student-led discussions.

Globally, YAM has been conducted with more than 90 000 teenagers in 16 countries and more than 1200 people have been trained as YAM instructors. Mental Helse is responsible for YAM in Norway and collaborates with counties, municipalities and schools on implementing the program. We have conducted YAM with approximately 2 000 teenagers since 2019 and thanks to the Grieg Foundation we can visit more students over the next three years.

YAM runs over 5 hours spread over three sessions and consists of six themes:

- What is mental health?

- Self-help advice- Stress and crises

- Depression and suicidal thoughts

- How to help a friend who in need

- Where can I seek help?

There are no right or wrong answers in YAM, the students are not told how to think, feel or act. YAM invites young people to reflect on their emotions and to consider different approaches when faced with life challenges or mental health concerns. YAM is led by two instructors who has completed a 5-day instructor course where they are trained to facilitate the youth-led dialogues and discussions about mental health.

YAM was evaluated in an EU-wide Randomized Controlled Trial in which more than 11 000 youth participated. The Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) research project sought to evaluate three school-based interventions for mental health promotion and suicide prevention. Results found YAM effective in reducing new cases of suicide attempts and severe suicidal ideation byapproximately 50%. New cases of depression were reduced by approximately 30% in the youth participating in YAM