Mental health matters
By Osama, Youth Influencer
In Mental Health Awareness Week (15 to 21 May), it is important to highlight the unique challenges faced by young refugees and asylum seekers in maintaining good mental health. These individuals have often experienced traumatic events, including war, persecution and displacement, all of which can have a significant impact on their mental wellbeing.
Stress and anxiety are a common experience for many young refugees and asylum seekers as they navigate a new culture and language, face uncertainty regarding their immigration status, the cost of living crisis, plus many struggle with feelings of isolation or loneliness. On top of all this, exam season is upon us and most of our young people feel anxious about this.
At KRAN, we understand the importance of supporting young refugees and asylum seekers in addressing their mental health needs. We provide a range of activities and resources aimed at promoting mental health and wellbeing, including stress management and mindfulness techniques.
One such activity is our monthly youth forum sessions, which are led by our amazing Youth Ambassadors and provide an opportunity for young people to practice techniques such as deep breathing, visualisation, and meditation. These sessions can help individuals to reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus and concentration, and increase overall feelings of well-being.
In addition to this, KRAN offers a range of other activities that promote mental health and wellbeing. These include sports and exercise programmes, art, drama and music workshops. Through these activities, our young people can build social connections, learn new skills, and develop coping strategies to manage stress and improve their mental health.
At KRAN, we understand that mental health is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. In addition to our activities and resources, we work closely with mental health professionals to provide individualised support to young people who may be experiencing more severe mental health concerns. This can include access to counselling services, referral to specialist support services, or assistance in navigating the healthcare system.
The charity MIND gives this advice when supporting people with mental health issues: be patient, offer emotional support and reassurance, inform them how to seek help when they're ready.
This is something we think a lot about here at KRAN and we invite others to do the same.