“Youth Headspace" Provides Mental Health Resources to Cambridge Young People

In recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, the Cambridge Youth Council (CYC) is reminding Cambridge young people that they have access to a wide range of mental health supports through Youth Headspace, a website created for youth by youth.

Youth Headspace includes:

• An interactive Youth Wellness Resources Map with local and national mental health resources
• A student-sourced playlist
• Tips for managing stress
• The “Well-Beings,” five original characters, designed by CYC member Sophia Saheli, that represent an action you can take to protect your mental health 

Since the site launched last year, CYC has engaged with the community in-person and online to raise awareness about mental health resources. They created a “Wellness Retreat” to provide a new way to connect with other young people and those who work with them. They continue to update Youth Headspace with mental health resources and share wellness tips through social media. 

The Youth Headspace campaign was developed in response to results from the 2022 Cambridge Middle Grades and Teen Health Survey conducted by the Cambridge Public Health Department and Cambridge Public Schools. A total of 2,200 students in grades 6-12 participated in the survey during May – June 2022. Following the release of the results, the Family Policy Council identified mental health as one of the biggest issues facing young people in Cambridge and asked the CYC to create the campaign.

A subcommittee of the Family Policy Council, CYC is comprised of 16 young people, ages 14-18, who live in Cambridge and are dedicated to improving the lives of youth through social justice, education, and community building. To learn more about CYC, check out their website: www.cambridgeyouthcouncil.org.

For more information about CYC Youth Headspace, visit www.cycheadspace.org.