YouthLink
Introduction
Living in a foreign country can be stressful when you are a teenager. Being away from your home country and friends, facing language barriers, experiencing unfamiliar cultural norms, and struggling with the absence of your usual support system can make the challenges seem overwhelming. Often, the results are anxiety, a feeling of isolation, decreased self-confidence, and emotional upheaval, all of which can lead to psychosomatic illnesses, depression, eating disorders, and self-harm.
YouthLink was established because the staff at LifeLine Shanghai identified that many of the calls received by the helpline involved issues experienced by teenagers in our international community. Many concerned parents often call regarding youth issues, and it was apparent that there was a gap in the market whereby teenagers were not being accommodated for, nor did they have a safe, confidential, and anonymous outlet to discuss issues they were dealing with. LifeLine Shanghai proactively implemented the YouthLink program as a way to connect with this ever-increasing youth population as more and more families choose to relocate to Shanghai.
Teenagers aged fourteen to eighteen years old are our target youth group, and extending our program beyond the telephone service to the YouthLink program has been a significant achievement. Although YouthLink is still a relatively new program, its early success has meant that we now have eight international schools involved in our program and YouthLink members are representatives in each of those schools.
For the more than 300,000 expatriates living in Shanghai, LifeLine Shanghai and YouthLink provide access to much-needed emotional support and information.
In fact, help is just a confidential phone call away.
Mission
YouthLink, as a part of LifeLine Shanghai, aims to empower members of the Shanghai international youth community to address their needs and challenges by providing information and emotional support. YouthLink is a unique, student-driven program that functions in cooperation with the international schools to provide an opportunity for young people to meet other teens and participate in workshops focusing on exploring topics that teens are concerned about.
How does YouthLink benefit the community?
The YouthLink program was specifically designed to meet and support the needs of the international teenage community, allowing them better access to resources pertaining to their life in Shanghai, particularly their emotional well-being. Teenagers will continue to have a safe place to turn to when they’re in need and feel like they’re not yet able to talk to somebody about their problem face-to-face.
Youth Link Representative tasks and responsibilities:
- Responsible for promoting Life Line Shanghai and its services within your school community.
- To ensure access to up to date information about LLS Youth Link events is readily available in your school (i.e. displaying posters and leaflets in appropriate places such as the events notice boards, common rooms, hallway, counselor’s office, etc.)
- Ensure that the LLS brochures and cards are available and are placed where they are easily accessible.
- To remain in regular contact with the LLS Youth Link Mentor to discuss LLS involvement within your school.
- Help with organizing and developing LLS Youth Link school events, to raise funds for future Youth Link projects.
- To attend meetings with LLS Youth Link Mentor and other Youth Link representatives.
- To collaborate with the other Youth Link representatives to develop the on going involvement of LLS Youth Link within Shanghai international schools.
- To contribute to a bi-monthly LLS Youth Link newsletter and organize the distribution amongst students.
- Work as a team with the other Youth Link representatives in the ongoing development of marketing materials regarding the LLS Youth Link program.
- To contribute to bi annual Youth Link workshops by helping to generate ideas and help in the organization and set up of the events.
- To attend the bi annual Youth Link workshops.
- Help man LLS stalls at outreach/ charity events.
Criteria for the Youth Link Representative Role
- Should be a member of staff or faculty of the school represented.
- Must be able to commit to the role for one year.
- Must be team player and show a willingness to work with students from the other international schools.
- Good communications skills.
- Can commit a minimum of 10 hours per month.
How can my school get involved?
Ideally, each of the international schools will have at least one faculty member that will act as the Youth Link representative to oversee the project. This person is responsible for communicating with the students about the projects they propose and providing support when necessary. The Youth Link representative would be required to attend meetings with LLS' Youth Link Mentor.
YouthLink workshops can also be scheduled for the general school community. For example, a workshop could be held for upper-classmen on social issues such as alcohol, drugs, smoking, eating disorders, teen depression and isolation, etc. Workshops can also be held on topics such as effective communication, conflict resolution, and peer influence. These workshops are flexible and can be tailored to fit the needs of your students.
Schools can help get the word out to their students in a variety of different ways, including hanging up posters, handing out brochures, mentioning the program during morning announcements, inviting the YouthLink Mentor in during an assembly to give a brief introduction about the program, encouraging interested students to contact the YouthLink Mentor, and passing along information about the program to interested students.
YouthLink Contact Information
You can reach our YouthLink Mentor via email at youthlink@lifelineshanghai.com.