Working with young people to combat anxiety and depression

Inspiring change and challenging misconceptions around mental health and wellness.

Our work with young people There is evidence of increasing anxiety and depression among young women aged 16 to 24 years in the UK, with nearly one-third (31%) reporting some evidence of depression or anxiety in 2017 to 2018; this is an increase from the previous year (26%) and the same period five years earlier (26%)

 Anxiety is a normal, human feeling of fear or panic. When we face stressful situations, it can set off our brain’s in-built alarm bell system, which tells us something isn’t right and that we need to deal with it. Our brain wants the difficult situation to go away, so it makes us feel more alert, stops us thinking about other things, and even pumps more blood to our legs to help us run away.

But when you’re not in a stressful situation, and you still feel worried or panicky, that’s when anxiety can become a problem.

Anxiety can affect anyone of any age, background or social group and many anxiety disorders begin in childhood and adolescence. Research suggests that as many as one in six young people will experience anxiety at some point or up to five children in a school class our programmes use coaching methods to support these young people and set them up for success.

Short sport based courses which can focus on improving their own wellbeing, with courses such as, managing school stress, understanding anxiety and managing transitions

Short courses which can focus on improving their own wellbeing, with courses such as, managing exam stress, understanding values, understanding identity, forming positive habits and sticking to them and finding purpose

Short courses which can focus on improving their own wellbeing, with courses such as, managing work stress, developing a growth mindset, understanding values, forming positive habits and finding purpose

We were very pleased to be able to partner with The Wellbeing Generation to provide a course of mindfulness-based sessions for six young people who were finding it difficult to engage with schools. The Life Coach, Lana, worked with us to develop sessions utilising different paths and areas of the Arboretum, providing the most appropriate natural setting for each session. In each session, Lana focussed on a different sense: sight, sound, touch, scent and taste, enabling young people to reduce their anxiety and build their resilience by focusing on details of the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us and drawing inspiration from it. All the young people, and their parents and carers, reported an uplift in mood and reduction of anxiety as a result of their participation. As a result of this success, we are planning to run further course in spring 2024.

Dr Rodger Caseby

Wellbeing Outreach Officer

Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum