Young People
You do not have to have everything worked out
Practical wellbeing, honest conversations and space to think for young people aged 11–18.
It Is Not Just About Age
What life feels like at 11 can depend on whether you are finishing Year 6 or finding your feet in Year 7.
At 16, one person may still be at school while another has started sixth form, college, training or work.
That is why this page is divided by stage as well as age.
If you are in Year 7 to Year 11, use the Secondary School Years section.
If you are in sixth form, college, training or work, use the 16–18 section.
If you are 11 and still in Year 6, the Primary-aged Children page will probably fit you better.
Secondary School Years | Ages 11–16
Secondary school can bring more freedom and more pressure at the same time. Friendships change, school becomes more demanding and there can be a lot to manage around fitting in, being left out, social media, boundaries and how other people see you.
This part of the page is here to help you understand what may be sitting underneath the reaction and find practical ways to deal with it.
Current Workshops | Ages 12–16
Crowned With Confidence and Create. Blend. Breathe.
These are two one-off creative wellbeing workshops for young people aged 12–16. Each workshop has 12 places.
You can see the dates, read the full details and register your interest on the Events page.
Sixth Form, College, Training, Work and What’s Next | Ages 16–18
By 16, people can begin asking what you are doing next as though you should already know.
You may be thinking about exams, college, an apprenticeship, work, money, relationships or becoming more independent while still trying to understand what you actually want. It can feel exciting and uncertain at the same time.
This part of the page looks at that pressure honestly, without pretending that one breathing exercise will make every decision easier.
Before Monday Finds You™
A Sunday Evening Reset for Ages 16–18
Sunday evening can feel strange. The weekend has not quite finished, but Monday has already entered the room.
Your mind starts going through what is due, who you will see, what you have avoided and everything you feel you should have worked out by now.
Before Monday Finds You gives you somewhere to put down some of that noise, work out what is actually asking for your attention and
find a way into the week that does not begin with panic.
During the session, we will explore:
• What is taking up space in your mind and body
• What needs your attention now and what can wait
• How to notice pressure before it becomes shutdown, anger or overwhelm
• What belongs to you and what you may be carrying for other people
• A realistic way to approach the week ahead
There is no forced sharing and no expectation that you explain your whole life.
You can talk, listen, write things down or simply use the hour to gather yourself before the week begins.
First session: Sunday 13 September 2026
Time: 7:00–8:00pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Ages: 16–18
Register Your Interest | Ages 16–18
Use the form below, if you are interested in Before Monday Finds You or other future sessions for young people aged 16–18.
The form can be completed by a young person, parent or carer, or somebody supporting young people.
Registering your interest does not confirm a place, and no payment is taken at this stage.
Your Body Often Notices First
Before you realise that you are overwhelmed, your body may already have been trying to get your attention.
Your jaw may feel tight, your shoulders may stay raised or your stomach may feel unsettled. You might feel restless, exhausted, unable to concentrate or wide awake when you should be sleeping.
These reactions do not automatically mean that something is wrong with you. Sometimes they are signs that you have been managing more than you realised. Noticing them earlier can give you more choice about what happens next.
Check What You Have Capacity For
We often begin the day as though we have a full battery, even when we don’t.
This short check-in helps you notice where you are physically, emotionally and mentally before you react, agree to more or force yourself to keep pushing.
Workshops for Schools, Colleges and Community Groups
These workshops are for young people aged 11–18 and can be booked by schools, colleges, youth groups and community organisations.
They are not lectures, and nobody is expected to disclose personal experiences in front of the room. We begin with what young people are already noticing and explore what may be sitting underneath the reaction.
The content is adapted to the age of the group.
A session with Year 7 will not be delivered in the same way as one with sixth-form or college students.
Before the Mask Slips™
For the pressure of appearing fine when keeping everything together is taking more energy than anybody can see.
Strong Without Shouting™
Exploring anger, confidence and how to be heard without losing yourself in the reaction.
You Don’t Owe Anyone Access™
An honest conversation about boundaries, consent, pressure and the right to change your mind.
Real Life Relationships™
Looking at friendship, attraction, communication, conflict and what respect feels like online and away from a screen.
Would These Workshops Help Your Group?
If you work with young people and would like to bring one of these workshops to your school, college, youth group or community organisation, tell me what you are noticing and what support would be useful.
If you are a young person and think one of these workshops would help where you are, you can share this page with a teacher, tutor, youth worker or another adult you trust.
Young People and Islington Healing Network
Islington Healing Network is the community part of this work, creating free and low-cost wellbeing opportunities for local people.
Young people may meet us through their school, college, youth group or a community organisation.
New public workshops and activities for young people will also be shared through the IHN community page.
I Am Well resources, sessions and workshops offer practical wellbeing support, but they are not a crisis or clinical mental health service.
If you need someone to talk to, you can contact Childline free on 0800 1111 or speak to a counsellor online. The phone number will not appear on your bill.
If you need urgent help for your mental health, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
If you or somebody else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E.
You do not have to wait until everything has fallen apart before telling somebody that you need help.