Introduction to Youth Champions Training

In Section Three, you learned about the important role Youth Champions play in the YMHAC Initiative. This section covers a useful overview of the necessary tools and resources needed in an informative and educational training/workshop for Youth Champions.

At the end of the training, Youth Champions should successfully start to plan for locally based initiatives at their schools.

A Youth Champion training program should meet these objectives.

  1. Help raise student awareness of the mental health continuum (i.e., what is the difference between mental health and mental illness) and reduce stigma.
  2. Help students increase their confidence and develop advocacy and leadership skills.
  3. Help improve the health and well-being of children and youth through a focus on mental health promotion, acceptance of mental illness, reduction of related stigma and substance misuse prevention.

Let Youth Lead! While school leads should work with school staff, school board staff, and public health staff to develop a relevant network of Champions training/ workshop, students should ultimately drive the process with support from the adult allies.

For more information about what content to include, see  Sample Champions Workshop Agenda.

REMEMBER: If you did not assign Youth Leads, your Youth Champions must take Youth Leads training.

Each community should lend a local context to the YMHAC Network of Champions. And the Champions training/workshop held in each local community is  an excellent way to provide the opportunity to place local context on the work of YMHAC.