Adapt – educational activities to promote youth mental health

Who is it for and what are the objectives?

This program is aimed at secondary school students, mainly in the 12-15 year old range. It is intended for all young people, without any particular needs or behavioural manifestations.

The goal is to provide various tools to youth workers, teachers and parents so that they can better support young people in:

• Learning how to deal with and normalize mental health as well as their emotions (worries, anxiety, uncertainty…);
• Building on or developing mental health management strategies, particularly their resilience and social skills;
• Demystifying the demand for help.

Adap.t combines the benefits of complementary approaches Social and emotional learning (SEL), combined with the development of coping skills, are key components of an individual’s well-being, regardless of age. Throughout life, a person will be able to apply his or her knowledge and skills on a daily basis to help him or her cope with change, regulate stress, have satisfying social relationships, etc.

Overview of Adapt – educational activity guide (5 booklets)

1. What is mental health?

This module allows you to familiarize yourself with the concept of mental health while separating it from mental illness. The activities invite for discussion on the subject and also allow students to get to know themselves better. They become aware of the power they have over their mental health and identify concrete ways to promote their own well-being.

2. Stress management

While stress is normal and even necessary, all pervasive stress can have a negative impact on mental health. By better understanding its causes and manifestations and identifying ways to release tension, students will be able to gain control over stress.

3. Self-esteem

As a key component of good mental health, self-esteem is often mistaken for arrogance or egocentricity. However, knowing one’s strengths and making a realistic assessment of one’s abilities is definitely healthy! This module will help students recognize the importance of self-esteem, while allowing them to identify their skills and ways to strengthen them.

4. Recognizing and expressing emotions

During adolescence, emotions can sometimes put us through the wringer. Before trying to control our feelings, it is important to first understand them better and listen to the message they convey. Students will therefore learn to explore their emotional universe and manage their emotions in a caring manner.

5. Controlling your internal dialogue

What kind of impact can the words we repeat to ourselves, often unconsciously, have? This module, which takes up elements from the previous themes, allows students to make the connection between their thoughts, emotions and behaviours. They also discover how to regain control over their perceptions and adopt a comprehensive approach with themselves.

6. Starting high school

The transition to secondary school is often the first major change in the lives of young people. Some experience it well, others with greater difficulty. In this context, helping them to get to know themselves better is a winning strategy! The proposed activities will allow them to discover their strengths in adapting to different situations in everyday life, with a view to maintaining or improving their mental health.

7. Acting against bullying

Bullying is a major risk factor for students’ mental health. So how can we minimize the risks and encourage a harmonious school climate that fosters young people’s well-being? By focusing on the role of the witness, this module aims to equip students to develop individual and collective skills to act against bullying

Expressing myself through art

How about a different approach to mental health? That’s what we’re proposing in our complementary activities module. Discover easy to facilitate and accessible art activities that allow you to use creative thinking to open dialogue and foster the development of personal and social skills such as self-esteem, stress management and problem solving. 

Also available in French

Ensuring a mentally healthy future for the population –

That’s what we’re aiming for, one youngster at a time!

The new and improved version of this youth program is made possible with the financial support of