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Since the pandemic, we’ve seen significant changes in the mental health landscape within the Surrey School District – the largest district in British Columbia. Many young people and adults have found their sense of safety within personal circles and community has been tested to an unprecedented degree. The things they once took for granted have been called into question and how they view the world has changed. No longer is it easy for them to participate in all the activities they did pre-pandemic. Mental health cases in our schools have doubled, with anxiety and hope of a positive future seeming very bleak. However, we have made progress in addressing this by prioritizing the development of strong relationships, providing young people with a foundation to begin navigating their future.
The steps we take to support students begin with establishing strong mentorships, not only within the school, but also at the community and employment levels. Studies have shown (Gallup, 2023) human connection is the key to having successfully employed people. Our staff work closely with students to address their behaviours and anxieties through our alternate education programs, where many young people who do not fit the mold of traditional school go for their high school years. We know it can take a range of people to support those who struggle, and it is our goal to mentor the students throughout these difficult times. We cannot control what happens in their homes, but we can help with what happens in their school day. Once they have learned strategies to feel better about their life and have taken back some of their sense of well being, we then try to have them participate in their community to help expand their networks with even more positive relationships.
One way we do this is through encouraging volunteering. This can be done on two levels – through community service organizations or in a vocational area they would like to understand better (what we refer to as volunteer work experience). Young adults feel better about their own lives when they feel they have a sense of ownership over it. We want the students to understand what they can accomplish by helping them learn about job options and how to communicate appropriately in workplace setting. An example of common learning is youth who struggle tend to overshare information when they feel comfortable, and the goal would be to teach how to share respectfully without distracting from the job at hand. Once understanding occurs, the growth toward independence takes place. Students cannot learn job skills without real-life connections and examples in our communities.
The second area of mentorship involves job coaching, where we collaborate with employers to help them understand how small adjustments can support a young person’s success. Job coaches will support the teaching of a job and what it means to be an employee, or mentoring the student. The job coach will also mentor employers on how to work with a person who struggles, and show how small changes can support youth to develop their capability in completing a task they find difficult. For example, one student struggled to count to 100 while placing small metal parts in bags. We suggested using a scale to weigh the parts instead, and the employer agreed. The student has been employed there for 12 years. With small adaptations and working with employers, we can help students succeed in roles they might have once believed not possible.
The third key area of mentorship that enhances students’ chances of succeeding as employees is the support they receive from their employers. Companies that have seen the most success in managing mental health challenges are those with strong mentorship programs within their organization. When meeting with different employers, we’ve found that having a mentor when starting a job helps reduce the anxieties of new situations and new roles. Successful youth who have been able to secure and maintain employment are those who often credit having a mentor who “showed them the ropes” or built a trusting relationship where they could turn to someone for guidance and to ask difficult questions. As discussed in Gallup’s (2023) survey, implementing a mentorship policy can benefit all employees, not just new hires. In today’s competitive job market, this approach helps companies retain talent and stand out as employers who care about the well-being and success of their staff.
Thinking back to your first job, did you have to figure out things on your own or was there someone who helped guide you and show you how things worked? Which jobs over the years were you able to adapt to quickest, and what made those transitions easier? Many people have told us the employers who took the time and effort to ensure jobs were understood or who provided a clear point of contact for questions were the ones that made their transition into the workforce smooth. It made the employee feel part of the company and a valued member of the team.
The correlation between a positive workplace and strong mentorship not only paves the way for a brighter future for our struggling young adults, but also has a meaningful impact on the community – one company and person at a time. As their outlook improves, the future feels less daunting and youth experience better mental health.
