Young people in Havering have shared their thoughts and concerns on the biggest issues affecting their daily lives – as the borough marks Mental Health Awareness Week.
More than 2,000 young people, aged 13 to 16, completed a survey which aimed to find out more about the state of wellbeing in this age group.
The far-ranging Havering Youth Wellbeing Census used the #BeeWell survey, first developed as part of the #BeeWell programme in Greater Manchester. The #BeeWell survey was adapted locally with input from Havering’s young people and the services that support them.
It asked young people about issues of local importance such as climate change, crime, vaping, travelling to school, accessing support and school-related stress.
The survey, undertaken in ten secondary schools, has shown that psychological wellbeing in girls is lower than in boys in Havering, with a similar trend also seen in Greater Manchester.
It also revealed some of the concerns young people have about issues such as loneliness, crime and the stresses of school work.
The Havering Youth Wellbeing Census results have been published on our neighbourhood dashboard.
The neighbourhood dashboard allows comparisons between geographical areas in the borough and between different populations, including children with special educational needs and disabilities, and those eligible for free school meals – a commonly used indicator for lower income households.
The results will be used to inform a local response by the Council and its partners as well as help schools prioritise and plan how to support their pupils.
Following the survey, we will be launching the Havering Youth Wellbeing Steering Group for young people, aged 14-17, who have an interest in helping us understand the results and improve the wellbeing of local young people.
The Steering Group is an important step in the Council’s plans to engage more with its younger residents, and empower them to lead change.
Those interested in joining the Steering Group can register their interest by completing an online form.
Councillor Gillian Ford, Cabinet Member for Public Health, said:
“This survey gives us a real insight into the wellbeing and concerns of young people in Havering.
"It’s really important to understand how young people feel about themselves and the areas in their lives where they are struggling.
"This will be crucial in helping the Council, schools and other bodies identify the needs, and ways to support and provide the help that is needed.
“The setting up of a Youth Wellbeing Steering Group, which will be led by young people, will bring them together to discuss the issues and ideas as to how we can support them with issues such as mental health, exam pressures and the other stresses of life.
“We hope that by working with young people to find out more about their thoughts and feelings we can help them to build a positive future.”
The Council plans to continue engaging with young people about their wellbeing and use the locally adapted #BeeWell survey again in the near future.
We hope to hear from even more young people during the next round of the Havering Youth Wellbeing Census.
The survey also found:
- Boys get a lot more regular exercise than girls, with 54 percent undertaking physical activity on 5-7 days per week, compared with only 33 percent of girls
- Girls spend more time on social media, with 49 percent spending 5 or more hours on an average weekday, compared with 29 percent of boys
- Bullying was more commonly experienced in younger pupils (comparing Year 8 to Year 10) and pupils with special educational needs
- The most common form of discrimination, experienced by 10 percent of young people, was based on race, skin colour or where they were born
- 36 percent of girls reported feeling lonely (sometimes, often or always), compared to only 21 percent of boys.