Evaluating the impact on Adolescents’ mental health and wellbeing: a United Kingdom inner city resilience schools programme

Background: This paper explores the impact on the adolescents involved in an independent second phase evaluation of a resilient schools’ programme undertaken during 2019 in inner city London borough within the United Kingdom. It was designed and implemented with the aim of educating adolescents about mental health using the following hypothesis. Hypothesis: How effective is the resilient schools’ programme in assisting adolescents develop resilience? Methods and Methodology: A total of twelve (12) schools engaged in the second phase evaluation, using a mixed method design. Quantitative surveys, a qualitative focus group and mental health awareness courses were utilised in this evaluation. Results: The quantitative analysis established that with age, social media connectedness scores increased as did the adolescents’ scores on three mental health and well-being subscales. The mental health workshops reported significant improvements in mental health knowledge and understanding. Personal confidence and an increased ability to support both themselves and others was also reported. The peer-led workshops assisted the adolescents in being significantly more likely to consider mental health a normal part of their everyday life. The qualitative analysis generated three themes: understanding and knowledge of resilience, improved mental health and resilience and engagement in strategies for support. The adolescents interviewed unanimously believed they had benefitted from resilience training, supporting the hypothesis. Discussion/Conclusion: The programme and its interventions may be beneficial in supporting the prevention of mental health issues among adolescents with good levels of wellbeing and resilience, and beneficial in providing targeted intervention among those reporting low mental health and wellbeing.