Listen to Us!

When a young person is having a tough time, they will often reach out to a ‘trusted adult’ in their life. These are usually adults who play an active, positive and crucial role within the community. This could be someone in their school, local club or wider family. 

If a young person seeks you out as a trusted adult, it can be difficult to know what to do or say. Our ‘Listen to Us!’ campaign offers useful advice and support for these potentially tricky conversations. We worked with the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (HNYHCP) to create and collate the below resources, which were co-produced with young people.

The HNYHCP has also created a handy guide for professionals who work with children and young people.

Keep reading to learn more about the role of a trusted adult and how they can make a big difference.

Are you a young person who wants to learn more about trusted adults? Check out our Talk to Us! campaign page.

Contact the police on 101 if you are concerned about serious violence, have information or need to report an incident. In case of an emergency, call 999.

What is a Trusted Adult?

Trusted adults are not assigned through a formal programme. They are adults who young people have independently chosen to trust and can be found in a range of settings. This includes youth clubs, pastoral teams in schools, sports clubs, lunchtime supervisors, extended family or places of worship.

In 2022, YoungMinds worked with young people to explore the role of trusted adults. Their research also involved staff who support young people, e.g.: youth workers across the country (including the Humber region). They defined a trusted adult as someone... 

“[...] chosen by the young person as a safe figure that listens without judgment, agenda or expectation, but with the sole purpose of supporting and encouraging positivity within a young person’s life.”

It is important to understand the distinction between being a trusted adult and when there is a need to refer young people to mental health services. 

Trusted adults can be a first line of defence for good mental health. They fill a gap where formal mental health support is not quite appropriate or where the young person is waiting to access a mental health service.

What Do Young People Expect of a Trusted Adult?

According to YoungMinds, these are the key characteristics of trusted adults:

• Coming with no expectations of what young people will achieve or how they will behave.
• Being non-judgemental and refraining from trying to ‘fix’ a young person. Instead, Trusted Adults help young people to work through issues in their own way.
• Making sure relationships with young people have clear boundaries and limits. Trusted Adults should understand when a situation extends beyond their skillset.
• Being a good listener, using silence to give young people space to open up and guide conversations.
• Prioritising honesty, asking hard questions when necessary and being vulnerable with young people.
• Being reliable by making themselves available to young people and engaging with them in a consistent way.

Remember that young people do not expect trusted adults to be experts. Simply having someone who lets them explore issues in a safe environment can improve their wellbeing.

Why are Trusted Adults Important?

Children and adolescents reported fewer mental health challenges when they had a support network of high-quality relationships with peers and trusted adults outside their immediate family. The evidence strongly suggested that when young people are struggling with their mental health, the emotional support they get from a trusted adult is invaluable.

Those with access to trusted adults are more ambitious in their educational expectations and goals due to having a positive role model. They can also be more protected from child abuse and the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences.

In the 'Listen to Us!' video below, a group of young people explain the positive impacts of talking to trusted adults.

A Message From Young People

It can be scary for young people to talk to adults about things like mental health. Here are some top tips from young people to help you approach the subject.

Feel free to download, print or share these graphic on social media with the hashtag #ListenToUs

Useful Guidance

These digital resources from YoungMinds can help you talk to young people about complex subjects.

Local and National Support

Are you looking for help in the Humber region? The following websites have also been recommended by local young people as sources of self-care and support.

• How Are You Feeling? | Hull
  https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/my-feelings/loneliness/
• Young Healthy Minds | East Riding of Yorkshire
  https://www.eastridinghealthandwellbeing.co.uk/healthy-minds/young-healthy-minds/
• Life Central | North Lincolnshire
  https://www.life-central.org/
• Healthier Together | Humber and North Yorkshire
  https://www.hnyhealthiertogether.nhs.uk/

These national organisations also offer useful guidance.

• Childline | A counselling service for children and young people under 19 who need support or advice on any issue.
  Website: www.childline.org.uk
  Phone: 0800 1111
• Papyrus | A suicide prevention charity
  Website: https://www.papyrus-uk.org/
  Hopeline: 0800 068 41 41

Local Activities with Youth Connect

Sometimes, young people can benefit from getting involved with activities.

Youth Connect is a website for 11-to-18-year-olds seeking to explore new interests, develop skills and contribute to their community.

The platform is part of a strengths-based campaign to encourage young people to take part in positive activities as an alternative to being drawn into crime or violence. The comprehensive directory of activities – including sports clubs, art classes and silent discos – covers Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. 

Youth Connect also lists relevant support services so young people have access to any help they may need.

Further Information

Thank you for supporting Listen to Us! Helping young people explore issues in a safe environment can make a big difference.

For further information, please email us via the button below.