According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, one in five of adolescents (20 percent) have a diagnosable mental health disorder with problems starting as early as 14 years old.

 If left untreated, teens can face isolation and discrimination.

Undiagnosed and untreated trauma and mental health issues may lead to increased emotional and behavioral problems, and can severely influence a teen’s development.

Learning Life Skills help youth understand more about themselves (self-awareness), their values, their challenges and goals.

Self-awareness and examination allow young people to become more aware of their personal struggles and recognize they already have the tools (life skills) to either manage those struggles or recognize they might need help.

You may wonder now, what are “life skills”?

Life skills are those skills needed for a person to make the most out of life, including problem-solving, decision making, managing emotions, conflict resolution, leadership, money management, communication, etc.  to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.

What is the correlation between Life Skills and Mental Health for youth?

Life skills helps youth learn to manage stress, to manage different emotions like Jealousy, fear, anger etc., learn to communicate effectively (While some might believe “communication” is speaking, it encompasses much more. By being a good communicator, you speak in a clear and concise manner, are a good listener, able to react to nonverbal cues, confident in interactions, empathetic and respect the opinions of others, and open-minded.)

It also teaches activities to specifically address age-appropriate issues, such as alcohol and drug use prevention, how to handle bullies etc.

By volunteering in their community, teens are able to increase their self-confidence (having a sense of purpose), reduce their stress levels, build bonds, and make friends.

To summarize:

Life skills education will help youths to make informed decisions, solve problems, think creatively and critically, communicate effectively, build healthy relationships, empathize with others, cope with challenges and empower them to manage their lives in a healthy and productive manner.