The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study provides unique insights into the health and well-being of adolescents across Europe, central Asia and Canada. In this, the study's 40th anniversary year,  the 11th consecutive international survey reports will be released in a series of topic-based volumes.

The first volume "Mental Health and Wellbeing" was released by the WHO Regional Office for Europe on 10th October, World Mental Health day. Findings show that adolescent girls have worse mental health and well-being across the board compared to boys. Jo Inchley (Principal Investigator of SHINE) is the International Coordinator of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, which monitors the health behaviours and social environments of nearly 280,000 boys and girls aged 11, 13 and 15 years from 44 countries. The report, ‘Focus on adolescent mental health and well-being in Europe, Central Asia and Canada’, is based on data from the HBSC survey 2021/2022. Jo presented at the launch event in Athens which was chaired by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

SHINE Teachers' Panel workshop: 

   Wed 15th November 2023     16.00-17.00pm

The first workshop for the 2023-24 session will focus on sharing mental health and wellbeing data reports with young people.

The workshop will include:

• The presentation and review of a new resource to facilitate the sharing of MH data reports with young people
• Sharing practice with colleagues about the challenges and successes of sharing data with young people.
• Discussion of how young people can best be involved in the co-design of new resources.

SHINE is always keen to hear young people’s opinions and share ideas about the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing.

A former pupil from SHINE school, Cults Academy,  has recently created a blog "Roaming reviews" about her travel experiences in Scotland using public transport and the under 22 free bus pass to access green spaces. Health research has shown that regularly accessing green spaces and doing physical exercise is good for positive mental health and wellbeing.

Young people can share their own free journeys to access green spaces around Scotland via the blog comments or this activity could be replicated in schools to promote access to the benefits of exercise and accessing green spaces. Jess writes:  "Growing up can be stressful and it can be easy to get overwhelmed and just lay in your bed. I spent a lot of time in the hills as a teenager as it provided me with an escape from my busy life. I could get out into the fresh air to relax and not worry about school, my exams, my career pathway. When I was still in school, I had to pay for the bus out to the hills! However, now I make full use of my under 22 free bus pass to explore, in a sustainable way, the city I have moved to for university,."

Visitors to the Byres Road Community Hub in the School of Health and Wellbeing were recently asked "What does wellbeing mean to you?" and were invited to share their ideas on a wall of wellbeing.

A simple way to start conversations and share ideas about what influences young people's wellbeing and get them thinking and talking about which factors can be  prioritised to make improvements to personal and community wellbeing.

Invitation to join the National Evaluation of the Equally Safe at School (ESAS) programme in secondary schools. 

Many Scottish schools are dealing with the fall-out from misogynistic influencers such as Andrew Tate, or are struggling with an increase in disclosures of sexual harassment. ESAS is designed to help schools build a positive culture in which staff and students work together on these issues. Designed by Rape Crisis it takes a whole school approach, strongly complements MVP, and is free to schools. ESAS  involves a self-assessment, staff training, a student-led action group and curriculum and policy review.

The national evaluation is being run by a research team at the University of Glasgow. Schools across Scotland have been joining up but there are still a few spaces left.  The benefit of being part of the national evaluation includes that the research team at University of Glasgow will collect the student self-assessment data on your behalf; they will support you in getting started and staying involved in ESAS and you'll be part of a larger cohort of schools undertaking ESAS. For more information click here.

Invitation to join the Harnessing social relationships to promote adolescent mental wellbeing study